45
21:45
Official injury time (minutes): 2
42
21:43
Instead of pressing for a third goal, Leverkusen remain true to the controlled line that has characterized the Rhinelanders since Alonso took office. At least a header from Koki Machida jumps out for Saint-Gilloise, but it flies over the goal in heavy pressure!
40
21:41
It smells like semi-finals for Bayer 04! Now even more gaps are opening up, it seems. Maybe you can force a decision here before the break because the Belgians have to shake themselves first.
37
21:38
Tooor for Bayer Leverkusen, 0:2 by Mitchel Bakker
The Werkself raise textbook! Diaby creates some space in the center with a one-two and drives the ball forward a few meters before sending Hložek into the penalty area on the right. The Czech shows overview and perfect ball feeling by playing the ball softly into the path of Bakker, who ran with him, and his direct acceptance rolls under the goalkeeper in the middle into the net!
36
21:37
It goes on for Bart Nieuwkoop. Of course, this is also in the spirit of the sport, since injuries do not affect the result here.
35
21:36
The next Belgian goes down. After the header duel with Hincapié, Nieuwkoop gets up unhappily and grabs his knee. For the moment it seems to go on. But that’s a decent limp on the way to the sidelines.
34
21:35
Now it’s getting dangerous! From the left touchline, Lapoussin plays a dangerous half-field cross into substitute Adingra’s run. Under pressure, however, the striker is unable to shoot, allowing Hrádecky to catch the bouncing ball.
32
21:32
Simon Adingra comes on at Union Saint-Gilloise
32
21:32
Yorbe Vertessen is making the substitution at Union Saint-Gilloise
31
21:32
Vertessen is on the ground and wants to be substituted. The striker appears to have injured his adductors.
29
21:30
A successful one-two gives Bart Nieuwkoop some space down the right, but when Tah positions himself in front of the attacker, he slows the game down a bit. As a result, the following Bakker can intervene and separate him from the ball with skillful use of his body.
28
21:29
Florian Wirtz hits a corner kick behind the five from the right, but Union 60 clears before the incoming Tah.
25
21:26
The game is currently leveling off in midfield. Both teams are looking for the gaps.
22
21:22
Centimeters are missing to 0: 2! Bakker plays a fantastic low cross into the five, which Hložek just barely misses at the first post, allowing Koki Machida to clear the second post in dire straits before the incoming Diaby!
21
21:21
Everything is going very well at the moment. Saint-Gilloise seems a bit perplexed when his own attacks run out of speed. Bayer 04 can always close the gaps with disciplined running back.
18
21:19
Tah can erase a ball loss by Wirtz in the build-up play by running the long pass to the front. So the remaining defense also works well when it is required.
17
21:17
Suddenly Wirtz puts the ball back into Diaby’s run! However, the bullet slips slightly over the instep of the Frenchman when he shoots, which means that the leather hits the cushions straight away!
16
21:17
Now the German guests can once again have the ball in their own ranks. However, possession of the ball bogged down in a failed chip down Bakker’s run.
14
21:14
At the same time, Leverkusen defend very disciplined, close the gaps and keep the opponent away from their own penalty area as far as possible.
12.
21:13
Unio Saint-Gilloise currently have a lot of ball possession. That should also be a bit uncomfortable for the Werkself.
11.
21:12
Hincapié and Vertessen fight for the ball for a few seconds on the left side of the sixteen until the Ecuadorian finally snipes the ball away and even gets a goal kick.
8th.
21:09
Boniface creates moments of stress again. To the left of the penalty area, Tah has to clear his low cross to the corner. But this promptly leads to an attack for the Rhinelanders, because Frimpong carries the cleared ball over the entire field and is only blocked when trying to shoot at the edge of the penalty area!
7.
21:07
The hosts are again on the offensive, but cannot find their way into the penalty area.
4.
21:05
USG’s first attack ends in Boniface’s shot attempt. However, last week’s goal scorer was blocked 18 meters from the goal by Edmond Tapsoba.
3.
21:04
This turns the Belgian game upside down. Where counterattacks are always lurking, Bayer 04 can now withdraw and rely on the fast outside players!
2.
21:02
Tooor for Bayer Leverkusen, 0:1 by Moussa Diaby
Perfect start for the Werkself! In the center, the Belgians didn’t get a botched chip properly cleared by Diaby. Hložek and Wirtz then put pressure on, which is why Lynen kicks the ball out of necessity. But that puts the ball straight into Diaby’s run, who runs past Anthony Moris to the left and then slides in from a tight angle!
1.
21:01
The ball rolls in Bruxelles. Bayer 04 toast. Let the wild ride begin!
1.
21:00
game start
20:57
Since the home stadium does not comply with UEFA regulations, Union Saint-Gilloise have to play their European home games at the Lotto Park of rival RSC Anderlecht. Still, the atmosphere is fantastic as the players step out onto the pitch. It will not be long!
20:51
Antonio Mateu Lahoz, one of the best-known names in refereeing, is in charge of the game. The 46-year-old Spaniard will be joined by line assistants Pau Cebrián Devís and Roberto Díaz Pérez.
20:43
In the first leg, Victor Boniface gave his team the lead after a good 50 minutes in a game that had been balanced until then. Bayer 04 then managed to build up more pressure and tie the Belgians at the back. The defensive orientation of Union 60 finally took revenge when Florian Wirtz scored the equalizer in the 82nd minute. But a winning goal didn’t want to come, which means that the Werkself now need an away win.
20:35
Xabi Alonso made only three changes after the 0-0 draw in Wolfsburg. Odilon Kossounou, Kerem Demirbay and Sardar Azmoun all sit on the bench. As in the first leg against Saint-Gilloise, Jonathan Tah, Mitchel Bakker and Florian Wirtz will start. Compared to the first meeting, the absence of Exequiel Palacios, who is replaced by Nadiem Amiri today, weighs heavily.
20:27
Compared to the most recent league game, Karel Geraerts has rotated to six positions. That’s why it might make more sense to look at the first leg when it comes to line-ups. Because then suddenly only Siebe Van der Heyden, who has been suspended, is missing from the list. He is replaced by Koki Machida.
20:18
It is precisely this self-confidence that Leverkusen must counter. The name already suggests it, because Union Saint-Gilloise is very reminiscent of Union Berlin with its extremely disciplined style of play and comparatively small budget. That can eventually cause problems for any team in the world. So it’s not surprising that the focus was a bit off against VfL Wolfsburg at the weekend. As a result, the Werkself only drew 0-0, but the Rhinelanders are now unbeaten in eleven competitive games!
20:10
After the good 1-1 draw in Leverkusen, Union Saint-Gilloise had to do the duty at the weekend. With a 2-1 win over bottom-placed RFC Seraing, the Belgians fulfilled their duty and are still just two points behind the leaders in the domestic table. So there’s good reason to believe that the surprise team west of the German border are coming out with plenty of confidence today.
19:39
Only one German team can reach the semi-finals of a European competition Union Saint-Gilloise host Bayer Leverkusen at 21:00 for the second leg of the Europa League quarter-finals. Welcome!