Leading through an own goal, big goalkeeper mistake, late comeback: Bayer Leverkusen at least took a point in a spectacular Champions League game against Newcastle. On Tuesday evening, the Werkself drew 2-2 (1-0) with the “Magpies” around German national players Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw.
After a corner kick, Bayer took the lead with an own goal from Bruno Guimaraes (13th minute) and showed a good performance. But Newcastle came out of the locker room briskly and benefited from Mark Flekken’s miss, who fouled Woltemade in the penalty area, allowing Anthony Gordon to equalize from the spot (51′). Joker Lewis Miley finally turned the game around completely (71′), before Grimaldo equalized for Leverkusen late on (88′).
Andrich: “We had a sleepy phase”
“It was a really good game for us for a long time,” said Leverkusen captain Robert Andrich at DAZN. “Then we had a sleepy phase and got an unnecessary penalty. You could tell we were running out of steam. Nevertheless, I’m very happy about the point, which I think we deserved.”
Leverkusen, who had to make do without coach Kasper Hjulmand, who was absent for personal reasons, now remains in mid-table in 18th place with nine points. The Werkself still has every chance of reaching the playoffs. Newcastle has one point more and is twelfth.
Leverkusen scores with the first chance
A corner gave Leverkusen the lead with their first dangerous move: Grimaldo, who was slightly injured at the end, brought the corner to the far post. Andrich headed past Guimaraes’ back, from where the ball bounced into the goal – an ideal start for the Werkself.
Newcastle tried to give a direct answer, but that initially benefited Bayer. Shortly after the opening goal, Leverkusen played well through the center against the advanced Magpies until Patrik Schick had a clear path. Thiaw only knew how to help himself with a clear foul; referee Serdar Gözübüyük immediately pointed to the penalty spot and gave Thiaw a yellow card.
Foul, but no penalty: Thiaw brings down the running Schick
Andrich and Rolfes dissatisfied with the referee
Because the central defender had hit Schick on the foot just before the penalty area, the VAR rightly intervened: There was a free kick from the edge of the penalty area, which Grimaldo put over the goal (24th). Gözübüyük’s decision not to send Thiaw off the field caused a lot of discussion after the game.
“With all my love, I can’t understand why there isn’t a red card – for the last man or the foul“, Andrich was annoyed. Sports director Rolfes was also not happy with the decision: “I think you have to give it red. A clear scoring opportunity is preventedt.”
Woltemade misses Newcastle’s equaliser
Little was seen of “Big Nick” Woltemade for a long time before he narrowly missed the ball after a corner kick from the crowd. It was Newcastle’s first good chance to equalize – and before the half-time whistle it was a boost for the Magpies, who were superior in this phase.
The crosses into the penalty area increased, and Flekken also had to intervene one or two times. However, Leverkusen no longer allowed a high-caliber player; instead, the hosts countered dangerously twice more. However, the shots from Ernest Poku (43rd) and Jarell Quansah (45th+2), each from a good position, were too imprecise.
Send out injured, Flekken kills Woltemade
Assistant coach Rogier Meijer, who replaced Hjulmand, brought on Christian Kofane at half-time to replace Schick, who was injured after Thiaw’s foul. “He really took a hit and that’s why he had to put his leg up very high.”said Rolfes after the game – there is a risk that Schick will be unavailable for the upcoming tasks.
Leverkusen’s offensive quickly became irrelevant in the second half – Newcastle came out of the locker room with determination. First, Lewis Hall was released on the left and shot just past the far corner, shortly afterwards Flekken’s big mistake equalized.
Leverkusen’s goalkeeper stopped the ball in front of his own goal and took his time resuming the game. Woltemade pressured the keeper, who swerved to the side completely unnecessarily, allowing a duel in his own box. Woltemade cleverly positioned himself in front of the ball, Flekken hit the center forward on the foot – a penalty was awarded. Gordon kept his cool, turned away cheering and left a head-shaking Flekken, who was gesticulatingly annoyed by his mishap.
Nick Woltemade (l.) is fouled by Mark Flekken – there is a penalty
Open, fast-paced game
The game was open again, it went back and forth. Newcastle had a little more of the game and could have turned the game around completely through Gordon, who hit the post from the left (63′). But Leverkusen could also be expected to score at any time, the best example being a counterattack by the lightning-fast Poku, who drove the ball all over the pitch, hit a strong hook in the penalty area, but then botched the finish again.
It was the increasingly noticeable English international Gordon who opened Newcastle’s second goal. The winger created space with his dribbling and hit a smooth cross into the center, where substitute Miley ran in and gave Flekken no chance from close range.
Leverkusen’s Grimaldo manages to equalize
But it wasn’t the end of an extremely entertaining game that offered good chances for both sides. Thiaw’s header was denied by Flekken, who was attentive this time, Jacob Murphy scored Newcastle’s second goal – before Leverkusen could suddenly have equalized via Nathan Tella, but Newcastle’s Aaron Ramsdale made a strong save from close range (82′).
But Leverkusen stuck with it – and were rewarded. Grimaldo initiated his equalizer himself, was then used perfectly by Ibrahim Maza and scored with his slightly weaker right foot to make it 2-2 late on. Despite promising attacks from both teams, a lucky punch was no longer achieved, so both teams went home with one point – an appropriate result for this fast-paced, overall even game.
Leverkusen’s supposedly easy opponents
In the Champions League, Leverkusen will face Olympiacos Piraeus (January 20th, 9 p.m.) and Villarreal (January 28th, 9 p.m.) – two teams from the bottom third of the table. In the Bundesliga next weekend, the top game awaits on Saturday evening against 1. FC Köln.