Champions League start
At the last minute, Bayer saves one point
Updated on September 18, 2025 – 8:58 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
At the start of the premier class, the German runner -up got away with a blue eye. An own goal saved Bayer from a opening bankruptcy.
Bayer Leverkusen has just averted a false start to the new Champions League season. At the Danish representative FC Copenhagen, the “Werkelf” came to a happy 2: 2 in added time.
The new Bayer coach Kasper Hjulmand had certainly imagined his return to the site of earlier successes as a Danish national coach. “Of course that’s a special game in a special place. But when the game starts, it’s a game like any other,” Hjulmand said before the game in “parking”.
The German runner -up fell behind early. After nine minutes, the former Schalke Jordan Larsson scored after a sharp cross from a short distance to 1-0 for the hosts (9th).
After a good 20 minutes, Hjulmand became noticeably active on the edge of the field for the first time, tried to give his team structure and order. Bayer initially did not take big chances. The Rhinelander had major problems, especially in defensive midfield. The Robert Andrich and Ezequiel Fernández, blocked in the league, ran there. Captain Andrich in particular acted unhappily and lost many balls.
The home side, for the Dortmund’s ex-striker Youssoufa Moukoko, missed a possible 2-0 when he failed from a short distance from the strongly reacting Mark Flekken (43.).
Also with Aleix García on the double-six next to Andrich for Fernández, it was initially not better for Leverkusen after the break, which is still difficult. The best chance to date had Ben Seghir after around an hour when his Schlenzer grazed the right outdoor post from 18 meters (61.).
A few minutes later, Copenhagen’s goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski steered a shot by Patrik Schick from eleven meters to the corner (66.). Leverkusen was now more dangerous. The compensation was achieved by a dream free kick by Alejandro Grimaldo (82nd), who scored in the league in a similar way to the 3-1 against Frankfurt.
The answer of the Danes was not long in coming: Joker Robert Silva immediately restored the leadership (86.) when he headed freely after a flank from the right. An own goal by Copenhagen Pantelis Hatzidiakos (90.+2), who tried to clarify a flat cross from Leverkusens Joker Claudio Echeverri, took care of the lucky point of the guests.