Comeback after 0:2
©IMAGO
Jokers Florian Wirtz and Patrik Schick saved Bayer Leverkusen from their first defeat in the 35th competitive game of the season in the Baku cauldron. In the 2:2 (0:2) in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Europa League at Qarabağ FK in Azerbaijan, the national player and the Czech Republic saved the draw after by far the worst half of the season and thus a good starting position for the second leg on Thursday in Leverkusen .
Coach Xabi Alonso rested numerous stars after the long journey to the Caucasus in view of the strain in the coming weeks. Granit Xhaka, Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, among others, sat on the bench at the start. Qarabağ took advantage of this with Yassine Benzia (26th) and Juninho (45th + 2). Wirtz, who had been substituted twelve minutes earlier, shortened the score with Leverkusen’s 100th competitive goal of the season (70th) – and Patrik Schick (90th + 2) then equalized.
Longest undefeated streak since 2000: Leverkusen in 10th place
The hosts tried to surprise the Leverkusen team with a powerful and physical style of play. That was successful and the Werkself couldn’t get into the game for a long time. Alonso obviously didn’t like that. The Spaniard gesticulated unusually wildly on the sidelines.
But things didn’t get better. Quite the opposite. First Matej Kovar, who, as in every group game, represented captain Lukas Hradecky in goal, saved a shot from Juninho with one hand (24th), then Marko Jankovic hit the inside post (25th) and again a few seconds later it happened , when Benzia shot the ball under the crossbar from ten meters. With 6-0 shots on goal, the lead for Qarabağ was deserved and logical. And in stoppage time in the first half, Bayer was able to counterattack when Juninho ran past Jonathan Tah from the halfway line and played past Kovar.
Alonso brought on Frimpong at the break, and when things only improved to a limited extent, he also brought on Xhaka and Wirtz in the 58th minute. Now things got better and ex-Leverkusen player Andrey Lunev had to parry a dangerous shot against Edmond Tapsoba for the first time (62′). And when Wirtz intercepted a back pass from Abdellah Zoubir and lofted the ball over Lunev, Leverkusen was back in the game. Schick, who was also a substitute, ultimately ensured the draw.
To home page