Bayer Leverkusen beat 1. FC Heidenheim at home, but was still unable to regain the top spot in the Bundesliga.
In the well-deserved 4-1 win, Victor Boniface (9th/74th), Jonas Hofmann (63rd) and Amine Adli (83rd) scored for the hosts, while Eren Dinkci (58th) equalized for Heidenheim. Despite the success, the “Werkself” slipped to second place in the Bundesliga table. FC Bayern Munich is to blame, having beaten VfL Bochum 7-0 on Saturday and now has the better goal difference. Both teams have 13 points. The newcomer from Heidenheim remains with four points and slipped to 13th place.
Bayer dominant from the start
Bayer played dominantly from the start and was immediately there. The ball ran safely through their own ranks, half of the guests were literally besieged. Consequently, the score was 1-0 early on. Exequiel Palacios passed Victor Boniface in the penalty area, the striker turned around his opponent Tim Siersleben and beat Heidenheim goalkeeper Kevin Müller with a shot into the right corner from 13 meters.
The Leverkusen team stuck with it, Heidenheim didn’t get into the game at all and ran after the ball and the opponent. In the style of a handball team, coach Xabi Alonso’s team played around the Heidenheim penalty area and looked for the gap. Most of the time the guests didn’t even get into the duels.
“Werkself” completely superior
The next big chance came in the 25th minute. Jeremie Frimpong prevailed strongly against Siersleben on the right side of the penalty area and shot hard at the near post from a tight angle. But Kevin Müller had his fists up. A little later, the goalkeeper also parried a volley from Jonas Hofmann from the edge of the penalty area. But the 2-0 score, which was long overdue at this point, didn’t happen. In the 40th minute, Florian Wirtz had a completely free shot from 13 meters, but the ball was deflected.
The guests only showed their first signs of life offensively in the 44th minute. Eren Dinkçi beat three Leverkusen players with a strong dribble, but his cross pass to Kleindienst was too imprecise so he couldn’t control it.
The Heidenheimers also survived the somewhat wild final phase of the first half. Shortly before the half-time whistle, Boniface beat Patrick Mainka in the penalty area with a shot in the leg, appeared alone in front of Müller, but could not get the ball past the strongly reacting keeper.
Heidenheim counters and scores
At the start of the second half, Heidenheim almost turned the game on its head. Bayer’s Edmond Tapsoba lost the ball to Nikola Dovedan at the back. He then immediately went up and away towards the goal, but was caught again at the last moment by Tapsoba. Shortly afterwards, the next counterattack: This time Eren Dinkci was sent on his way and was stopped by Frimpong just before the edge of the penalty area.
Meanwhile, Leverkusen continued to have more of the game, but were no longer as compelling as in the first half because Heidenheim blocked the spaces more consistently. Consequently, the equalizer fell. Siersleben won a header duel against Hofmann with a questionably hard effort and then things happened quickly. Jan-Niklas Beste moved in from the left, crossed the ball at penalty area level and Dinkci hit it flat into the right corner from 15 meters.
Leverkusen only shakes briefly
Leverkusen shook themselves and it only took five minutes to respond. Palacios grabbed the ball in midfield and played a beautiful through ball over 30 meters to Hofmann, who didn’t miss this opportunity in front of Müller.
And Leverkusen followed up. Lennard Maloney brought down Álex Grimaldo in the penalty area in the 73rd minute, referee Christian Dingert awarded a penalty after the VAR indicated, which Boniface safely converted.
Anyone who expected that the “Werkself” could shift down a gear was disappointed. Boniface asserted himself strongly on the edge of the penalty area and then slammed the ball to the left wing post from 18 meters. And then the score was 4:1. Alex Grimaldo played a wonderful ball into the path of Amine Adli on the left side and he then made it ice cold and lobbed the ball over Müller as he rushed out of his goal. It was the final point in a game in which the promoted side was clearly shown its limits.
Bayer in Mainz, Heidenheim against Union
On matchday 6, Leverkusen travels to Mainz (Saturday, September 30, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.). Heidenheim is then challenged at home against Union Berlin.