Tella can score: Bayer defends its lead in the league

Two goals for three points: Bayer Leverkusen won against bottom team SV Darmstadt 98 in the Bundesliga on Saturday (February 3, 2024). This was also due to someone who is otherwise often second choice.

Nathan Tella scored both goals for Leverkusen. First he scored with his head (33rd minute), then with his right foot (52nd). For Tella it was the third and fourth goals of the season.

For coach Xabi Alonso it was confirmation that his plan was working. He had called Tella, who is usually a joker, into the starting line-up for the first time in the Bundesliga. Jeremie Frimpong, Alonso’s man on the right, was given a break.

It was certainly not his team’s most spectacular game, said Alonso in an interview with ARD radio. He was still happy with the performance: “We played very seriously.”

This is also why Leverkusen defended its lead in the Bundesliga. Bayer has 52 points after 20 matchdays, pursuers Bayern Munich have 50 points after the win against Borussia Mönchengladbach. On Saturday (February 10th, 2024) both will meet in the top game from 6:30 p.m. (in the live ticker and in the audio live stream).

These are spheres that you can only dream of in Darmstadt. After the 13th defeat, the promoted team still has eleven points and is in 18th place. Nevertheless, Darmstadt’s coach Torsten Lieberknecht told ARD radio: “It’s hard for me today not to praise my team.”

Cross from Grimaldo, header from Tella – Leverkusen takes the lead

Darmstadt’s coach Torsten Lieberknecht had arranged his team in a 4-4-2, the goal: few spaces for Leverkusen and their ball possession football. And the plan initially worked. The leaders Leverkusen didn’t play like Leverkusen for half an hour, they lacked ideas.

Then Granit Xhaka had one. He played straight to Florian Wirtz, who passed to Alejandro Grimaldo on the left. The cross from left-back Grimaldo was wonderful, it landed at the far post, where Tella had sprinted in time. He headed in to take the lead.

Darmstadt also posed a goal threat

Previously, Alonso’s team had had more of the game and had the ball more often. But Darmstadt had already exuded something like a goal threat until Leverkusen took the lead. If you want to write about a goal threat: Luca Pfeiffer shot from the turn into the arms of goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky (24th).

Leverkusen almost scored a second goal before the break. It was the 43rd minute when Robert Andrich played to new signing Borja Iglesias and got the ball back. Andrich’s shot was powerful, but not very placed. Darmstadt’s goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen cleared for a corner.

Tella can also do it with her foot

The second goal for Leverkusen came at the start of the second half. Again Xhaka was the initiator, again he played to Wirtz, who this time turned up the heat and dribbled towards three Darmstadt players.

There was no duel because Wirtz played out to the right. Tella stood there, his shot was powerful and placed, it landed in the near corner.

Wirtz from the ankle – and onto the Darmstadt crossbar

The crossbar of the Darmstadt goal prevented Leverkusen from scoring a third goal in the 75th minute. After a failed pass from goalkeeper Schuhe, Iglesias passed it off to Adam Hlozek and Wirtz, and the rest was astonished.

The way Wirtz raised his head but didn’t even accept the ball, but rather shot it straight away – that was nice to see. Only there was no celebration, Wirtz’s shot didn’t land in the goal, it landed on the aluminum.

First Stuttgart, then Bayern – Leverkusen’s difficult home game week

Bayer Leverkusen is in action in the DFB Cup during the week. On Tuesday evening (February 6th, 2024) Leverkusen welcomes VfB Stuttgart. A few days later there will be the top game against FC Bayern in Leverkusen. Darmstadt 98 will also be in action on Saturday (February 10th, 2024), Hessen’s opponent will be Borussia Mönchengladbach.