Boniface dream comeback and a Bundesliga-Novum: The German champion Bayer Leverkusen consolidated second place behind Bavaria with a safe victory against 1899 Hoffenheim.
In the 3-1 (2-0) on Sunday evening, Victor Boniface (15th minute) also scored a few days after his burst transfer to Cristiano Ronaldos Saudi-Arabian club al Nassr.
In addition, Jeremie Frimpong (19th) and Patrik Schick (51st) were successful for the Werkelf. Leverkusens Alejandro Grimaldo saw yellow-red (61.) after repeated foul. Gift Orban (64.) scored for the relegation threatened Kraichgau.
Referee Robin Braun caused a premiere, who for the first time in a Bundesliga stadium declared the audience a decision revised by the video referee. In the 22nd minute he whistled a penalty for Leverkusen, but overlooked a away position by Nathan Tella, which later had to be replaced injured.
“It was important that after the 2: 0 we come to the second half and do not feel like we let it go, but one more. Bayers Jonathan Tah at “Dazn”.
Hoffenheim’s captain Kevin Akpoguma, however, struggled: “Today we lacked something to beat a team. We have invested too little to hurt Leverkusen and get back.”
Due to the victory, Leverkusen remains six points behind record champions Bayern Munich. Hoffenheim has four points ahead of the relegation rank 16 after 20 match days.
Boniface for the first time in three months in starting eleven
Despite the burst transfer from Boniface to Al-Nassr, Bayer coach Xabi Alonso had ordered the Nigerian to the starting eleven. “He needs playing time. He is focused and we need him in the second half of the season. We need the whole squad,” Alonso at “DAZN” explained the attacker’s first starting elevator for three months.
And as so often against Hoffenheim, Boniface justified the trust placed in him and used a nice steep pass from Grimaldo without humor after a quarter of an hour.
It was the sixth scorer for Boniface in his third game against Hoffenheim. The lead was preceded by a catastrophic playback error by Hoffenheim’s David Jurasek.
Just four minutes later, Grimaldo sent Frimpong alone towards TSG goal with an even more shaped pass. Guest goalkeeper Luca Philipp was again left behind. The fact that it was not really bitter at the break was at the intervention of the video referee after Braun’s decision on a penalty after a foul Juraseks on Tella.
“The penalty was checked. In the opinion of the pictures, there was an offside position. Therefore, the decision is not a penalty, offside,” said Braun after VAR intervention.
First referee announcement in a Bundesliga stadium
As a test run up to the end of the season, there should be announcement of the referees in selected stadiums until the end of the season when the video referee intervened. The German Football League had launched the project to create more transparency for the audience.
After the novelty, the game flattened out. With the two-goal lead, Leverkusen took the pace out of the game three days before the cup derby against 1. FC Köln.
The only excitement until the change of sides was Tella’s injury. For the Nigerian, Emiliano Buendia, who was borrowed from Aston Villa last week, came to his Bundesliga debut.
Yellow-red for Leverkusens Grimaldo
However, this did not last long. The Argentinian had to get off the field after almost 70 minutes for tactical reasons due to Grimaldo’s dismissal. The Mario Hermoso Bundesliga air, who was also hired in winter, also sniffed.
If the Schick, who had substituted for Boniface, had made the preliminary decision just a few minutes after the restart, it would have been exciting again after Grimaldo’s yellow-red card. After the Spaniard’s foul before he was shown, Orban scored after the resulting free kick.
Against ten Leverkuseners, the guests could no longer develop any significant pressure.