Izekor is the youngest Bayer professional
With a goal festival by a B team, Bayer Leverkusen completed the first perfect preliminary round for a club in the Europa League in three years. Crowned by a goal from striker Patrik Schick in his starting eleven comeback after 408 days, the Bundesliga table leaders celebrated their sixth win in their sixth game with a 5-1 (3-0) win at the end of the group against Norwegian cup winners Molde FK.
Only ten teams had previously achieved the optimal result of 18 points in the preliminary round, most recently FC Arsenal in 2020 and Eintracht Frankfurt in 2018 as the only German club. However, it was a bad omen for the ambitious Leverkusen team, who had 20 wins and two after 22 competitive games this season Record a draw: None of the predecessors won the title in the end.
In a group that is, however, not very glamorous, Leverkusen’s yield is considerable because coach Xabi Alonso always rotated vigorously. Against Molde, he even changed his team to nine positions compared to the 1-1 draw in the Bundesliga. Schick (6th), Edmond Tapsoba (22nd), Adam Hlozek (60th) and Noah Mbamba (71st) scored the goals, and Molde’s Martin Ellingsen (25th) scored an own goal. When he came on as a substitute in the 77th minute at the age of 16 years and 204 days, Ken Izekor also became the youngest Leverkusen player ever to play in a competitive game. Eric Kitolano scored for Molde, which continues to play in the Conference League as third in the group (76th).
Alonso had only left central defenders Jonathan Tah and Tapsoba in the team. In addition to Schick, a player who had to wait even longer was also used. Niklas Lomb, actually the third goalkeeper, was allowed to play in a competitive game for the first time in three years. He last played in goal on February 25, 2021, also in the Europa League against Young Boys Bern.
With Grimaldo, Undav & Wirtz: The biggest winners in the Bundesliga update
The large rotation did not change Bayer’s expected clear dominance. When Schick scored with his left hand from 18 meters, Lomb had not yet touched the ball. And when Tapsoba scored with a header from seven meters after a cross from Jonas Hofmann and the Norwegians also scored a strange own goal because Anders Hagelskjaer shot Ellingsen in the face, the game was virtually decided.
The scene in the 44th minute was emblematic of the fact that the victory could have been much higher, when a shot from Nathan Tella was hit off the line, Schick then hit the post and finally Hlozek shot past from three meters. After the break the Czech did score and his shot for the fifth goal bounced off Mbamba.
Injuries in a trivial game: Eintracht Frankfurt 0-2 in Aberdeen
Too strong for FC Bayern, too weak for Aberdeen FC: Eintracht Frankfurt ended the meaningless Conference League game with two key players injured and had to accept a sporting setback. Five days after the furious 5-1 victory over the record champions from Munich, the Hessians lost 0-2 (0-1) in Scotland on Thursday and ended the group phase with three wins and three defeats.
Even before the game, in which striker Duk (41st minute) and Ester Sokler (74th) scored the goals for the hosts in front of 14,474 spectators, it was clear that Frankfurt would finish the group phase in second place behind PAOK Thessaloniki. Eintracht will play in the knockout round playoffs against a third-placed team in the Europa League on February 15th and 22nd. As the winner of the preliminary round, PAOK is directly in the round of 16, which will take place in March.
Coach Dino Toppmöller is likely to be bothered by the injuries even more than the defeat. Junior Dina Ebimbe had to be substituted after just a few minutes. The double goalscorer in the Bayern game sprained and is now in danger of missing the remaining games at Bayer Leverkusen (Sunday) and against Borussia Mönchengladbach (Wednesday). Goalkeeper Kevin Trapp was substituted at half-time and replaced by Jens Grahl. With Trapp it could also have been a precautionary measure.
It wasn’t easy for Eintracht to find motivation for the game on the British island. Not only was there a lack of sporting incentive, but also the support of their own fans, who were not allowed to attend the guest game in Helsinki due to misconduct. More than 100 supporters still found their way into the stadium for Aberdeen FC, who had already been eliminated from international competition before the sixth matchday.
Until the title is won: Frankfurt fan choreos in the Europa League
Sports director Timmo Hardung said in advance on “RTL”: “It’s a natural reflex to want to win and be better than your opponent. On the one hand, you don’t want to break the rhythm, but on the other hand, you want to distribute the load.” Every game is “important.” Eintracht then had a lot of control and had better chances, but in contrast to the gala against Bayern, there was a lack of efficiency. Duk did better and punished the guests mercilessly. It was the Scots’ first real chance. After the break, Sokler scored after outstanding preparatory work from Dante Polvara.
Klopp loses with Liverpool’s B-Elf in Belgium at Union Saint-Gilloise
Coach Jürgen Klopp suffered a defeat with Liverpool FC at the end of the Europa League group phase. The Premier League club’s unrehearsed B team lost 2-1 (1-2) at Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium on Thursday. Despite the second defeat in the preliminary round, the Reds made it into the knockout round as leaders of Group E. Jarell Quansah’s goal (39th minute) to equalize was not enough for Liverpool. Mohamed Amoura (32nd) and Cameron Puertas (43rd) made Union’s home win perfect.
AS Roma beat Sheriff Tiraspol 3-0 (2-0). Belgium’s star striker Romelu Lukaku scored in the sixth Europa League home game in a row. However, it wasn’t enough for the 30-year-old and his team to win the group, but only for second place. At the same time, Slavia Prague beat Servette FC 4-0 (4-0) and moved into the next round as the leaders of Group G.
To home page