Bayern clip Wolfsburg

BERLIN (AP):

Luiz Gustavo's injury-time winner earned Bayern Munich a 1-0 win at Wolfsburg yesterday, while defending champion Borussia Dortmund were beaten 1-0 at Hoffenheim.

Franck Ribery cut the ball back for Brazilian midfielder Luiz Gustavo to shoot from outside the penalty area, Diego Benaglio getting his hands to the ball but failing to keep it out.

Patrick Helmes had a goal ruled out in the 39th when television replays showed the Wolfsburg striker was onside.

Sejad Salihovic's free kick in the ninth was enough for Hoffenheim to beat Dortmund.

Elsewhere, Schalke beat Cologne 5-1, Hamburger SV drew 2-2 with Hertha Berlin, Nuremberg lost 2-1 at home to Hannover, and Mainz won 2-1 in Freiburg.

Wolfsburg will feel hard done by after making the better start and frustrating Bayern for long periods.

Ribery's petulant swipe at Mario Mandzukic betrayed Bayern's tension after their opening loss to Moenchengladbach - they had never started a Bundesliga campaign with two losses - and it took some time for the visiting side to settle.

Despite seeing more of the ball, however, Jupp Heynckes' side looked short of ideas and failed to really trouble Benaglio in the first half.

Mario Gomez tried his luck from distance in the 30th before a Helmes effort was blocked by Jerome Boateng at the other end.

Helmes' disallowed goal left Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath fuming on the sideline before the game sparked to life.

promising position

Toni Kroos was booked for diving in the penalty area a minute later, and Benaglio blocked a Gomez effort.

Bastian Schweinsteiger should have scored after the interval, shooting a yard over from a promising position, and Bayern improved in the second half.

Heynckes introduced Takashi Usami for the Japanese midfielder's Bundesliga debut in the 69th, but the final word fell to a Brazilian.

All eyes were on Dortmund's midfielder Mario Goetze to continue his good form at Hoffenheim, but the 19-year-old was faced with three players anytime he received the ball.