Borussia Dortmund continued its winning ways, while Niko Kovac and Bayern Munich may finally be pulling it all together for a worthwhile chase for the Bundesliga title.
[ RECAP: Saints 2-2 Man Utd ]
Hoffenheim 1-1 Schalke
Saturday will go down as an unforgettable one for California native Haji Wright, as the 20-year-old American center forward made his first Bundesliga start (a week after coming off the bench for his first senior appearance).
Wright played 70 minutes, leaving the match one minute after countryman Weston McKennie entered as a sub. Wright’s was industrious on the day but only managed 18 touches and 4-for-4 passing to go with his mileage up top.
As for Schalke, it answered in-form Andrej Kramaric‘s 59th minute goal with Nabil Bentaleb‘s 73rd minute marker to earn a point and move 11th.
Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Freiburg
Speaking of Americans, the league-leading hosts’ Christian Pulisic missed this one with a calf injury. No problem, really, as Marco Reus and Paco Alcacer scored to move the table lead to seven points before second-place Gladbach plays Sunday.
Bayern Munich 2-1 Werder Bremen
The serial champions are third for the time-being following a Serge Gnabry double at the Allianz Arena.
Elsewhere
Fortuna Dusseldorf 0-1 Mainz — Friday
Stuttgart 1-0 Augsburg
Hannover 96 0-2 Hertha Berlin
RB Leipzig vs. Borussia Monchengladbach — 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Wolfsburg — Noon ET Sunday
Nurnberg vs. Bayer Leverkusen — 2:30 p.m. ET Monday
STANDINGS
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Home | Away | PTS |
| Borussia Dortmund | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 37 | 13 | 24 | 6-1-0 | 4-2-0 | 33 |
| Mönchengladbach | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 30 | 14 | 16 | 6-0-0 | 2-2-2 | 26 |
| Bayern Munich | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 18 | 7 | 2-3-1 | 5-0-2 | 24 |
| Eintracht Frankfurt | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 29 | 14 | 15 | 3-1-1 | 4-1-2 | 23 |
| RB Leipzig | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 10 | 12 | 4-2-0 | 2-2-2 | 22 |
| 1899 Hoffenheim | 13 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 28 | 19 | 9 | 3-2-2 | 3-1-2 | 21 |
| Hertha BSC Berlin | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 21 | 20 | 1 | 3-2-1 | 2-3-2 | 20 |
| Werder Bremen | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 21 | 22 | -1 | 2-2-3 | 3-1-2 | 18 |
| FSV Mainz 05 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 14 | -2 | 3-2-2 | 2-1-3 | 18 |
| VfL Wolfsburg | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 17 | -1 | 2-2-3 | 2-1-2 | 15 |
| FC Schalke 04 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 14 | 18 | -4 | 3-0-3 | 1-2-4 | 14 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 18 | 24 | -6 | 2-1-3 | 2-1-3 | 14 |
| SC Freiburg | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 22 | -6 | 2-3-2 | 1-2-3 | 14 |
| FC Augsburg | 13 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 22 | -2 | 1-3-2 | 2-1-4 | 13 |
| VfB Stuttgart | 13 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 26 | -17 | 2-1-3 | 1-1-5 | 11 |
| 1. FC Nürnberg | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 29 | -16 | 2-2-2 | 0-2-4 | 10 |
| Hannover 96 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 15 | 28 | -13 | 2-1-3 | 0-2-5 | 9 |
| Fortuna Düsseldorf | 13 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 29 | -16 | 2-0-5 | 0-3-3 | 9 |