VfB Stuttgart romped to a 5-1 thrashing of promoted Greuther Fuerth on Saturday as defender Marc-Oliver Kempf netted twice in the rout.

Defending champions Bayern Munich kicked off the new season with a 1-1 draw at Moenchengladbach on Friday.

Less than 24 hours later, Stuttgart ran riot against luckless Fuerth.

Japan midfielder Wataru Endo opened the scoring in sweltering temperatures when the Stuttgart captain fired home from a tight angle on 30 minutes.

Home midfielder Atakan Karazor succumbed to the heat and was helped off.

His replacement Philipp Klement added Stuttgart's second when he hit the far corner on 36 minutes.

After the break, Stuttgart winger Borna Sosa claimed three assists from two superb crosses and a pin-point accurate corner.

Kempf claimed Stuttgart's third when he powered home Sosa's cross, six minutes before striker Hamadi Al Ghaddioui made it 4-0 with a header.

A Sosa corner was then headed home by Kempf before Fuerth striker Jamie Leweling netted the visitors' late consolation goal.

The win came at a cost, however, as Stuttgart had 17-year-old Dutch striker Mohamed Sankoh stretchered off with a serious leg injury in the second half.

"Sankoh's injury dampened the mood a little - we hope he gets back on his feet quickly. It will take around six months," confirmed Stuttgart coach Pellegrino Matarazzo.

The top flight's other new club Bochum also made a losing start, going down 1-0 at Wolfsburg.

Bochum played virtually the entire match with ten men after midfielder Robert Tesche was sent off after just four minutes for blocking a shot with his hand.

Wolfsburg striker Wout Weghorst squandered the resulting penalty as his weak shot was saved, but the Dutchman made amends with the winner on 22 minutes.

Hoffenheim enjoyed a 4-0 romp at Augsburg.

Forwards Jacob Bruun Larsen and Sargis Adamyan put Hoffenheim 2-0 up before French teenager Georginio Rutter came on to grab the third, then set up Sebastian Rudy for the visitors' fourth.

Union Berlin started their season with a 1-1 draw at home to Bayer Leverkusen with both goals coming in the opening 12 minutes.

Nigeria striker Taiwo Awoniyi put Union ahead with seven minutes played only for Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby to equalise five minutes later.

Star striker Erling Braut Haaland, who claimed a hat-trick in the German Cup last weekend, spearheads the Borussia Dortmund attack later at home to Eintracht Frankfurt.