Neven Subotić and Mainz tentatively moved level on points with first place 1860 Munich by drilling 'Gladbach on Friday evening, but the Lions continued their 100% start to the term on Sunday to retain the 2.Bundesliga penthouse.

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MAINZ GET BACK ON TRACK
A Daniel Gunkel double helped life Jürgen Klopp's Mainz to a 4-1 thrashing of visitors Borussia Mönchengladbach to get back to winning ways.

Felix Borja started off the high scoring affair after rounding off Miroslav Karhan's through ball, in the 12th minute to give the hosts an early lead.

The home side would double the advantage just four minutes later when Markus Feulner was hauled down 20 yards out, and Gunkel slotted the ensuing free kick coolly into the back of the net.

The visitors piled on some more pressure as the first half drew to a close, but American defender Neven Subotić and the rest of the Mainz defense held firm to send Klopp's side into the break two goals to the good.

When the teams returned from the break, Gunkel would amazingly repeat the same free kick feat to put the game all but out of reach for Kasey Keller's former side. The former Energie Cottbus midfielder powered his second goal home from all of 30 yards out, with the ball taking a lucky deflection along the way to deceive 'Gladbach keeper Christofer Heimeroth.

In the 60th minute, Feulner would round off the scoring for Mainz after the home side quickly countered from a 'Gladbach corner.

With the game out of reach for Borussia, Patrick Paauwe would grab a consolation goal in the 73rd minute by heading home highly-rated Germany youth international Marko Marin's corner as the Mainz defense went to complacent sleep.

Nevertheless, the clock wound down, and for Klopp it ended with another three points as his side seem incapable of being involved in dull fixtures, with eight goals and four conceded in three games.

Next up for Mainz is a September 2nd trip to Carl Zeiss Jena.

Scoring
MNZ - Félix Borja 1 (Miroslav Karhan) 12'
MNZ - Daniel Gunkel 1 16'
MNZ - Daniel Gunkel 2 51'
MNZ - Markus Feulner 3 (Chadli Amri) 60'
BMG - Patrick Paauwe 1 (Marko Marin) 73'

Line-ups
MNZ - Christian Wetklo; Tim Hoogland, Neven Subotić, Nikolce Noveski, Christian Demirtas (Stefan Markolf 21'), Miroslav Karhan, Daniel Gunkel, Milorad Peković, Markus Feulner (Mario Vrančić 77'); Petr Ruman (Chadli Amri 46'), Félix Borja

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HANNOVER BLITZED BY BAYERN
Former University of Portland defender Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 got a rude Bavarian welcome as nearly perennial champs Bayern Munich hit thrice to etch a 3-0 scoreline into the books.

Fresh off his first senior cap for the Stars & Stripes, winger Sal Zizzo did not take part in the clash.

Cherundolo and the Die Roten backline were given the ominous task of marking the trickery of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Franck Ribéry, and strength of Luca Toni, out of the match in what always going to be a losing battle.

Former Marseille wing starlet Ribéry, who shined on last summer's World Cup stage, tested the Reds' defensive composure early on, setting up Luca Toni with a clever pass in the 13th minute.

Toni would be far more clinical upon his second taste of a chance, directing Bastian Schweinsteiger's ball in from roughly 15 yards out. The former Fiorentina ace would, however, hobble off injured just a few minutes later, much to the worry of the Bayern faithful.

Just seconds before the halftime whistle, the '96-ers were dealt a blow in their quest to get back into the game as Altin Lala was shown a second yellow for a foul on Brazilian midfielder Zé Roberto to send the visitors down to 10 men with a second half yet to play.

Midfielder Chavdar Yankov came on for Benjamin Lauth at the break as 96 coach Dieter Hecking looked to win a stronger share of the possession.

Recently crowned captain Robert Enke had to be in top form just minutes after the restart, denying clear cut chances from Ribéry and Holland international Mark van Bommel.

Nevertheless, the former PSV Eindhoven engine found the back of the net in the 68th minute after rushing into the box to drive home a Christian Lell pass.

With the game all but out of reach for the visitors, Bayern would claim yet another goal to round of the rout; recent Schalke defector Hamit Altintop using a fair amount of skill to craft an opening before powering home a nearly 20-yard drive.

The league leaders travel to HSV on Sunday, while Cherundolo and the Reds play host to VFL Bochum on Saturday.

Scoring
BAY - Luca Toni 3 (Bastian Schweinsteiger) 28'
BAY - Mark van Bommel 1 (Christian Lell) 68'
BAY - Hamit Altintop 2 86'

Line-ups
BAY - Oliver Kahn; Christian Lell, Lucio, Martin Demichelis, Philipp Lahm, Mark van Bommel, Zé Roberto (Andreas Ottl 89'), Hamit Altintop, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Franck Ribéry, Luca Toni (Sandro Wagner 31')

H96 - Robert Enke, Steve Cherundolo, Thomas Kleine, Frank Fahrenhorst, Sren Halfar, Altin Lala, Hanno Balitsch, Arnold Bruggink (Szabolcs Huszti 69'), Jan Rosenthal (Jiri Stajner 66'), Benjamin Lauth (Chavdar Yankov 44'), Mike Hanke

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HANSA STUTTER IN FRANKFURT
Heath Pearce played the first 45 as Hansa Rostock extended its losing streak with a 1-0 failre at Eintracht Frankfurt to remain without a point after three matches played.

The visitors were already set on the back foot just three minutes in when Alexander Meier headed home from five yards out, after a Benjamin Köhler redirect from a quickly taken corner. The goal seemed to catch Die Kogge off guard, and took some wind out of the sails for Frank Pagelsdorf's side.

Despite taking a commanding control of the game, Frankfurt almost allowed a moment of careless complacency to dictate the scoreline as Marco Russ' sloppy back pass almost played Marcel Schied in on goal in the 22nd minute.

Nevertheless, the hosts returned to trouble the visitors once more just seconds later, with Köhler's effort cruelly denied by the post.

At the half, Pagelsdorf brought on Diego Morais for Pearce, with the American carrying a yellow card and the team looking for more impetus going forward.

Enrico Kern tried to put the teams on level terms with his speculative drive just after the break, before Köhler was denied yet again by the Hansa defense.

Former West Bromwich Albion midfielder Junichi Inamoto forced Hansa keeper Stefan Wächter into a good save with his long range drive in the 62nd minute, but it was not to be and the scoreline held firm at 1-0 to keep the home fans happy, while Pagelsdorf and Rostock are forced back to the drawing board again.

On Saturday, Rostock host Thomas Doll's Borussia Dortmund.

Scoring
EF - Alexander Meier 2 (Benjamin Köhler) 3'

Line-ups
EF - Markus Pröll; Mahdi Mahdavikia, Marco Russ, Aleksander Vasoski, Christoph Spycher, Junichi Inamoto, Michael Fink, Alebert Streit (Mounir Chaftar 86'), Alexander Meier, Benjamin Köhler (Markus Weissenberger 76'), Loannis Amanatidis (Michael Thurk 67')

HR - Stefan Wächter; Benjamin Lense, Time Sebastian, Orestes, Heath Pearce (Diego Morais 46'), Stefan Beinlich, Dexter Langen, Zafer Yelen (Addy-Waku Menga 63'), Marc Stein, Marcel Schied (Sebastian Hähnge 76'), Enrico Kern

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1860 EXTEND PERFECT START
1860 Munich showed no away-day jitters as they pounced to rock 1899 Hoffenheim 3-0, in the process collecting three points to claim first place in Germany's 2.Bundesliga.

After declining a midweek call-to-arms for Bob Bradley's squad for the clash against Sweden for personal reasons, a fully-charged Josh Wolff put forth an industrious 72 minutes. The self-avowed support striker was joined by fellow American Gregg Berhalter on the team sheet, with the former Sparta Rotterdam stopper holding firm for a solid clean sheet.

Hoffenheim took the initiative from the start, forcing Die Löwen keeper Philip Tschauner into an agile move to tip the Francisco Copado's header just over the bar. The Spaniard would try his luck once again to no avail, this time from distance, in the 25th minute.

In the 33rd minute, Munich would break the deadlock somewhat against the run of play as Antonio di Salvo latched his shot into the back of the net after benefiting from some sloppy defending by the home side.

After gracing Di Salvo with the assist on the opener, Fabian Johnson and the Italian goal getter would swap roles in the 38th minute, with Johnson slotting home coolly from just five yards out for the 2-0.

Sejad Salhihovic tried to find a line back into the game for Hoffenheim in the 53rd minute before keeper Tschauner would once again deny Per Nilsson from close range just minutes later, much to the chagrin of the home fans.

There was a moment of controversy in the 72nd minute, as Munich were denied a penalty after evidence showed Nilsson to have handled in his own box.

Nevertheless, despite all of the home threat and barrage of attacks, the Lions held true to round off for the points. Deep into stoppage time, the rout was capped off by newly crowned captain Danny Schwarz, who assumed the armband from Berhalter earlier in the summer.

Die Löwen welcome FC Köln to the Allianz den on Friday.

Scoring
1860 - Antonio di Salvo 4 (Fabian Johnson) 33'
1860 - Fabian Johnson 1 (Antonio di Salvo) 38'
1860 - Danny Schwarz 1 (Berkant Göktan) 90+1'

Line-ups
HOF - Daniel Haas; Christoph Janker (Mirnes Mesic 46'), Matthias Jaissle, Per Nilsson, Szolt Löw, Sejad Salihovic, Isaac Vorsah, Matthias Keller (Andreas Mayer 73'), Francisco Copado, Dragan Paljic (Tobias Weis 64'), Vedad Ibisevic

1860 - Phillip Tschauner; Markus Thorandt, Mate Ghvinianidze, Gregg Berhalter, Torben Hoffmann, Danny Schwarz, Lars Bender (Sven Bender 72'), Josh Wolff (Timo Gebhart 74'), Berkant Göktan, Fabian Johnson, Antonio di Salvo (Mustafa Kucukovic 79')

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ON THE SIDELINE
Kamani Hill was not in the match squad as Wolfsburg had to settle for a 1-1 Sunday draw against last season's runners up Schalke after taking the lead through Polish winger Jacek Kryznowek.

Joe Enochs failed to suit up on Saturday as Osnabrück held SC Paderborn to a 0-0 draw at the Osnatel Arena.

Both Ian Joy and Josh Grenier missed out on the Sunday action as St. Pauli claimed a 1-0 win over Koblenz thanks to Filip Trojan's 56th minute header.