FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Hoffenheim scored three goals in quick succession late in the first half to beat Wolfsburg 6-2 in the Bundesliga on Sunday and dent its hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
In the late match, Alexander Meier scored in the 89th minute to give Eintracht Frankfurt a 2-1 comeback victory over Stuttgart, which fell to its eighth consecutive defeat and is now one place above the danger zone.
Hoffenheim is the third highest scoring team in the Bundesliga after Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund and it took only four minutes for Roberto Firmino to put the host side ahead with a perfectly weighted lob. Bas Dost equalized for Wolfsburg in the 15th with a header.
Niklas Suele began the three-goal flurry with a header in the 37th. Anthony Modeste then scored twice, with a low shot in the 39th and a header in the 43rd.
Ivan Perisic pulled one back for Wolfsburg, before the home side struck twice more. Sejad Salihovic converted a penalty and Sven Schipplock completed the win.
Wolfsburg finished with 10 men, after Christian Traesch was sent off in the 80th for a foul on Kevin Volland that resulted in the penalty.
Hoffenheim, undefeated in five games, ended Wolfsburg’s run of four consecutive wins and prevented the visiting team from overtaking fourth-place Schalke. Wolfsburg remained fifth and Hoffenheim 10th.
In Frankfurt, Stuttgart went ahead in the 31st minute after Eintracht lost possession in midfield. Alexandru Maxim found Martin Harnik on the left and the midfielder slotted low inside the near post.
Stuttgart’s goalkeeper Sven Ulreich went on to make several outstanding saves, including a one-handed tip-away from a header by Stefan Aigner.
But it was his kick-in that resulted in Frankfurt’s equalizer in the 80th through substitute striker Jan Rosenthal. Marco Russ headed the ball from the center circle back into Stuttgart’s half and Rosenthal raced through to slot past Ulreich.
Eintracht secured the win in the 89th when Johannes Flum slipped the ball through the legs of Georg Niedermeier and squared it back for Meier, who drove it home with a low shot.
Eintracht jumped to 12th place and is six points away from the relegation playoff place.
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