BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Hoffenheim midfielder Dennis Geiger scored his first Bundesliga goal in three years to secure his team a 1-1 draw away to Werder Bremen yesterday.

“It’s not usually my job, but I’m happy that I was finally able to score again,” Geiger told Sky.

The draw leaves Sebastian Hoeness’s Hoffenheim without a win in three league games since they beat champions Bayern Munich 4-1 in September.

“After the Bayern game we had two unnecessary defeats, but our attitude was much better today,” said Geiger.

Maximilian Eggestein turned in a fizzing cross from Theodor Gebre Selassie to give the hosts an early lead.

Yet, that success would remain Bremen’s only shot on goal in the first half, as Hoffenheim increasingly took control.

They were rewarded on 22 minutes as Robert Skov and Sebastian Rudy linked up to set up Geiger, who fired a fine first-time finish under the bar.

Skov came closest to breaking the deadlock in the second half, thundering a vicious free kick against the bar with 10 minutes to play.

Having narrowly escaped relegation last year, Bremen have lost just one of their first five games this season and currently sit in sixth place.

Hoffenheim’s attention, meanwhile, now turns to their upcoming Europa League clash with Belgian side Gent on Thursday.

Arnold ‘relief’

Earlier yesterday, Wolfsburg avoided an unwanted Bundesliga record as they battled to a 2-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld.

After picking up four points so far this season, Wolfsburg were on course to become only the fourth Bundesliga side ever to draw all of their first five games, equalling an all-time league record.

Yet Maximilian Arnold’s impressive first-half display ended the dreary run of results to give Oliver Glasner’s side their first win of the season against promoted Bielefeld.

It was the first league meeting between the two clubs since Wolfsburg’s title-winning season in 2009, and Bielefeld’s top flight inexperience showed in the first half.

With 19 minutes gone, they were caught flat-footed as Arnold set up Wout Weghorst with a short free kick, and the Dutchman fired home to score his second goal in two games.

Arnold himself doubled the lead just a minute later, as Wolfsburg pinned Bielefeld back and regained possession with aggressive pressing directly after the restart.

In Sven Schipplock, Bielefeld brought on a striker with 153 top flight appearances to his name in the second half and the former Hoffenheim and Hamburg front man promptly fired them back into the game, sweeping in a sharp assist from Japan winger Ritsu Doan.

The visitors then hit the post as they pushed for an unlikely comeback, but Wolfsburg held on to avoid yet another draw.

“It’s a huge relief, particularly as we made it difficult for ourselves towards the end,” Arnold told Sky.

After starting the season strongly with a win and a draw, Bielefeld have now lost three games in a row in October and are now just two points above the relegation play-off place.