45.
19:34
Half-time conclusion:
The game between Qarabag and Leverkusen goes into the break goalless! Bayer started a little better and repeatedly got into promising finishing positions. As the game progressed, Qarabag adjusted to the Werkself’s game, kept them further away from their own goal and repeatedly placed needle pricks. A draw is deserved so far, even the home team has a slight advantage!
45.
19:32
End of 1st half
45.
19:32
Wirtz looks for Boniface in depth, but Mustafazada has no problem shielding the ball for Lunev. In the last few minutes, Bayer hardly got any offensive action.
45.
7:31 p.m
Official added time (minutes): 1
43.
7:30 p.m
On the right near the baseline, Vešović sends Álex Grimaldo into the cinema and Benzia places the cross on Zoubir. His shot from eight meters is immediately blocked by Tah.
41.
7:30 p.m
After an aerial duel, Cafarquliyev was left lying because he received an arm from Stanišić. He needs a short break for treatment, then the left-back can continue.
38.
19:24
Qarabag misses the lead! Juninho wins the ball against Tah in the left half-space; the attacker is quick and can therefore no longer be significantly disrupted by Tah. Kovář was even able to hold on to his shot from 16 meters towards the near corner. The Azerbaijani team’s best chance so far!
37.
19:23
Andrich lets a ball hit in his own penalty area towards Hincapié, who wants to shield the ball. Before Kovář can get to the ball, two players from the home team intervene and cannot control the ball in the press shot with the Czech keeper. That was close for Bayer!
36.
19:21
Yellow card for Marko Vešović (Qarabağ FK)
The right-back has problems with Tella’s pace and therefore stretches the Englishman to the ground. The subsequent free kick from the left side remains harmless and is cleared with a header in the center.
34.
7:20 p.m
After a long period of possession, Wirtz was unable to assert himself one-on-one. Leverkusen currently lacks the power to get dangerously in front of the opposing goal.
31.
19:17
Qarabag overloads the left side with three men, which is why Cafarquliyev has time on the wing to cross. Hincapié is able to clear the cross to the second post at the second post. The Azerbaijanis are playing a strong game here and are constantly threatening.
29.
7:15 p.m
Juninho captures the ball brilliantly in a transition situation and then serves Leandro Andrade on the right side. Near the corner of the penalty area he moves into the center and wants to finish. His shot is blocked by Stanišić near the goal.
27.
19:13
On the left, Álex Grimaldo looks for depth and is served with a long ball. He then passes it on to Adli, who is looking for his center forward in the left half-space. Mustafazada is in the right spot in the penalty area and clears the ball with a freeing shot.
25.
7:10 p.m
Yellow card for Kevin Medina (Qarabağ FK)
The central defender comes too late against Wirtz and steps on the German international’s foot in the middle third. The yellow card is rightly given for this.
23.
7:09 p.m
A standard provides the best chance of the game! Álex Grimaldo brings a corner from the left to the first post, where Hincapié rushes up and aims at the far corner from seven meters. Lunev has to stretch, but is able to fend the leather off to the side with both fists.
21.
7:07 p.m
Leandro Andrade pushes through to the baseline again on the other side because a long ball thwarts the Werkself’s attacking press. Kovář easily plucks down his cross from the right side.
20.
7:06 p.m
From the half-right side, Wirtz delivers a cross towards Boniface on the left into the penalty area. But the cross is clearly too high, so the ball spins out of the goal.
17.
7:04 p.m
From the left, Benzia once again makes his way into the penalty area, where Tah blocks in front of Zoubir for a corner. It can be transported out of the danger zone by the away team. The initial phase is clearly more balanced than many Bayer fans would have thought!
15.
19:02
The next corner has it all! Lunev cannot hold on to the cross because he is irritated by his teammate. Medina then gets his hand on the ball in an aerial duel with Andrich, but after a short VAR check there is no penalty.
14.
7:00 p.m
Boniface delivers the ball in depth to Tella, who prevails against two opponents on the right in the penalty area. When he reaches the baseline, he tries to pass back to the center, but his pass is blocked for a corner.
12.
6:59 p.m
Now Qarabag also has the first shot: Leandro Andrade drives the ball forward on the right side and then passes the ball across to Benzia. He doesn’t hesitate for long and finishes with the second contact from 22 meters. His shot from a half-right position whizzes past a good two meters to the left.
11.
18:57
Álex Grimaldo plays a great interface pass deep behind the last chain. 15 meters from the goal, Lunev gets to the ball in front of a Leverkusen player, Adli was ready to take the shot.
9.
6:55 p.m
Leverkusen has now taken control and is building a lot through the center. Wirtz drops into the center, picks up the ball there and wants to serve Adli on the left. The offensive player slightly fails to accept it, so Medina can grab it.
7.
18:53
The first goal belongs to the away team. Álex Grimaldo can pick up some speed on the left, then the Spaniard finds Wirtz in the space on the left. From 23 meters, his low shot towards the near corner rolls right into the arms of Lunev.
4.
6:50 p.m
Qarabag has strong opening minutes! On the left, Zoubir beats Stanišić and gets to the baseline. Tah was able to clear the subsequent cross with his head, then Leverkusen struggled to clear the situation after several attempts. The Azerbaijanis are using poisonous tactics here.
2.
6:48 p.m
Wirtz takes a ball between the chains brilliantly and turns up in a central position. His pass to the top doesn’t reach Boniface. Qarabag immediately switches, but Xhaka separates Zoubir from the ball with a fair tackle just behind the halfway line.
1.
6:45 p.m
Referee Craig Pawson cleared the game at 9:45 p.m. local time at the Tofik Bakhramov Stadium in Baku – the ball is rolling! Leverkusen kicked off and had their first possession of the ball.
1.
6:45 p.m
Game start
6:37 p.m
Compared to the 7-1 win last weekend, Qarabağ coach Qurbanov is changing in two positions: Lunev, who was under contract with Bayer last season, is in goal, while left-back Vešović is replacing Bayramov. Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso changed six positions compared to the win against TSG. Kovář, Hincapié, Stanišić, Andrich, Tella and Adli are new. The sextet consisting of Hrádecký, Tapsoba, Kossounou, Palacios, Frimpong and Hofmann has to make way for them.
18:22
So far, the Werkself have won each of their 15 games – with the exception of a 2-2 draw in Munich. Leverkusen is currently on cloud nine and has forgotten how to lose. However, today’s hurdle cannot be overcome too easily: In the cup, the game against third division team Sandhausen was only won in the 85th minute, and the 3-2 win against Hoffenheim at the weekend was not a sure-fire success either. Bayer clearly had fewer expected goals, so TSG ended up in better finishing positions overall. Once again, the currently outstanding Álex Grimaldo decided the game with a brace.
6:10 p.m
Qarabağ narrowly won the two opening games in the Europa League against Molde and Häcken 1-0 and is therefore heading towards the second round. In the domestic league, the reigning champions have the best goal difference by a clear margin at +17, but the team is still only in second place. After all, he is only one point shy of league leaders Zira FK. Leverkusen have to watch out for attacker Juninho, who has already scored nine times in twelve league games. In addition, the assertive Leandro Andrade is doing a lot of work on his side this season.
5:59 p.m
While Leverkusen dominates not only the Bundesliga but also its group in the Europa League, Qarabağ is hot on the heels of the current league leaders in Group H. With a home win today, the Azerbaijani champions could draw level with Bayer in points. There is little hope in the first leg, which the Werkself clearly won 5-1. Winger Bayramov equalized the score, but the outstanding Wirtz and Álex Grimaldo then led Leverkusen to victory.
5:43 p.m
Hello and welcome to the fourth matchday of the Europa League group phase! At 6:45 p.m. Bayer Leverkusen will visit Azerbaijani champions Qarabağ Ağdam.