Football, Europa League: Bayer Leverkusen before the end despite the magic goal by Florian Wirtz against AS Monaco

Status: 02/16/2023 11:07 p.m

Bayer Leverkusen suffered a painful 2:3 (0:1) defeat against AS Monaco in the first leg of the second round in the Europa League. The action of the game still had Florian Wirtz.

It was an extremely even game between Bayer Leverkusen and AS Monaco for almost nine minutes. A game without highlights, but on a respectable level. But the first highlight was one that will get its place in the season summaries. And it was one that hurt the Bundesliga club enormously.

Hradecky’s blackout causes an early deficit

Bayer keeper Lukas Hradecky received a back pass, but failed to quickly pass the ball on to Edmond Tapsoba, who was standing next to him. He waited so long that Breel Embolo pushed himself into his body, Hradecky tripped and nudged the ball into his own goal with his heel (9′). The 33-year-old immediately claimed a foul, but the goal counted – and rightly so.

Monaco’s Breel Embolo (right) mercilessly exploits Lukas Hradecky’s (left) mistake and scores to make it 0-1 against Leverkusen.

Leverkusen didn’t seem shocked after this setback, however, and had their first opportunity a little later through Moussa Diaby. Alexander Nübel, who is on loan to Monaco from FC Bayern Munich, was able to defuse his attempt from an acute angle (12th). The Monegasque’s first shot on goal was more dangerous. This time Embolo came to an end and missed the goal from ten meters from Leverkusen (21st).

Hradecky shows that he can do it

On the other hand, Nübel had to intervene again before the half-time break. After a diagonal pass from Diaby, Nadiem Amiri appeared free in front of Monaco’s goalkeeper, but was so surprised to be able to get the ball that he acted too hesitantly and allowed Nübel to defend (35′).

He later showed that his counterpart Hradecky knew his trade. Monaco successfully countered and the ball landed on Krepin Diatta’s left foot. His shot attempt was unluckily deflected by Piero Hincapie, but Hradecky saved Leverkusen from conceding the second goal with a strong reflex (43′).

Leverkusen then had the final point in the first half. Diaby dribbled through hard, but neither Exequiel Palacios’ attempt blocked nor Robert Andrich’s follow-up shot equalized in the second minute of added time.

Diaby completes great Leverkusen attack

In the third minute of the second half, however, there was an all the more spectacular sense of achievement for Leverkusen. Florian Wirtz started the game solo and Diaby, who dropped two players in a confined space, used Jeremie Frimpong’s pass and scored through Nübel’s legs to make it 1-1 (48′).

Ten minutes later, Nadiem Amiri had the lead on the heels. After great preliminary work by Andrich, the ex-national player finished in the middle from eight meters, but placed the ball too badly to beat Nübel (58th).

Wirtz makes Leverkusen, Völler and Flick happy

Wirtz, who got into the game better and better, provided the climax a little later: 30 meters in front of the goal, he set out on his journey, rounded five opponents and gently pushed the ball low into the corner from 14 meters (59th). Leverkusen first with slapstick, then with two dream goals – and in the lead. If proof was needed that the 19-year-old was back in shape after his cruciate ligament rupture, he had provided it.

Diatta breaks through the Bayer cheers

But not only Leverkusen can score dream goals. Diatta equalized a little later with an extremely impressive long-range shot – the Senegalese curled the ball into the far post with his left foot (75′). And Wissam Ben Yedder almost scored a goal worth seeing, but Hradecky prevented the Monegasque team from taking the lead with a quick foot defense (86′).

Both pushed for the winning goal in the final minutes. Alonso brought Patrik Schick, who celebrated his comeback after a three and a half month injury break. Shortly before, Adam Hlozek had almost made it 3-2, hitting the post from eight meters (88th). However, the game of exceptional goals had a Monegasque ending. In the third minute of stoppage time, Axel Disasi took heart from 25 meters out and slammed the ball into the Leverkusen goal for the visitors’ winning goal.

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