Bayer Leverkusen almost lost their reward in the Bundesliga against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim with bad passes. But in the end, Wirtz, Boniface and Grimaldo made the difference.
Alejandro Grimaldo contributed two fine goals in Leverkusen’s 3-2 (2-0) win over TSG (45th + 1, 70th), including the decisive one in the final score. Florian Wirtz (9th) gave Bayer an early lead after a pass from striker Boniface, who this time shone as a provider.
Hoffenheim equalized after a double strike from Anton Stach (56′) and Wout Weghorst (58′), while punishing Leverkusen’s bad passes. TSG even had a chance to score another goal, but the bottom line was that Bayer’s victory was deserved.
“The spirit in the team is good. We always want to go further. We fight. That’s why I’m very happy with the victory,” Bayer coach Xabi Alonso summarized to the Sportschau.
Tithe Competitive game win for Leverkusen in a row – a club record
“We were pretty dominant in the first half, but we missed the first few minutes of the second half,” said Wirtz in the Sportschau interview. “We have to work on it so that we can continue to control the game with a half-time lead like this.”
Leverkusen consolidated their lead in the table with an almost perfect result of 28 out of 30 possible points. It was Bayer’s tenth competitive win in a row, which is a new club record. At the same time, the team equaled the Werkself record from the 2001/2002 season with the 15th game in a row without defeat. Hoffenheim remains with 18 points and is in sixth place.
Wirtz on Boniface on Wirtz
Bayer’s coach Xabi Alonso started the same eleven for the eighth time in the tenth Bundesliga game of the season. Most recently, in the 5-2 cup win in Sandhausen, he gave eight of his regular players a break.
The Werkself showed right from the start how well-coordinated they are: Wirtz initiated his opening goal on the left side, dribbled his way free and passed through to Boniface. He created space with a physical illusion and passed it back in front of the goal to Wirtz, who had taken off and had no trouble finishing.
Leverkusen remained the better team and deservedly increased the score to 2-0 shortly before half-time. Hofmann took a flat corner from the left, fed Grimaldo in the penalty area – and the Spaniard hit the left corner with a strong, technical shot.
Hoffenheim’s double strike
After the break, Hoffenheim appeared more active and received help from the guests. Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky wanted to build up the game with a flat pass, but inadvertently served Stach. The Hoffenheimer switched gears quickly and hit from a good 40 meters over Hradecky, who had moved out – technically strong with his instep.
“I lit the fire, we were completely unsettled for ten minutes afterwards, of course I’m sorry,” Hradecky told Sportschau. The Hoffenheim team also punished a Leverkusen bad pass when equalizing. Granit Xhaka lost the ball while building up the game, Maximilian Beier shot from 20 meters to the right post, Weghorst converted the rebound.
Hoffenheim’s Weghorst misses, Bayer’s Grimaldo scores
A few minutes later, Hoffenheim’s Weghorst even had a great chance to take the lead, heading in from a Stach cross five meters in front of the goal. He let the ball slide over the top of his skull, but only hit the roof of the goal.
Ultimately, Leverkusen’s individual class decided the game: Boniface initially missed a header chance, but then held the ball strongly in the penalty area – and found Grimaldo between several Hoffenheim players in the backcourt. Grimaldo took the strong pass strongly and finished perfectly with his left foot, as he did with his first goal in the left corner.
Hradecky highlighted how his team survived the chaotic phase and responded. “A year ago we would probably have lost a game like this. Big, big praise to the team and a big thank you from me.”
Hoffenheim in Augsburg, Leverkusen in Azerbaijan
TSG will be challenged away against Augsburg next matchday (Saturday, November 11th, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.). Bayer host Union Berlin a day later (3:30 p.m.), but before that they have to play in the Europa League against FK Karabakh Agdam in Azerbaijan (Thursday, 6:45 p.m.).