Emotional moment crowns Bayer's breakthrough
Bayer Leverkusen are going from strength to strength: with a strengthened B-team, the Bundesliga club also wins their fifth group game in the Europa League. A long-lost professional provides the emotional highlight.
And then Patrik Schick scored: Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen are also in a class of their own in Europe this season and are now the best team in the Europa League. With a 2:0 (1:0) win at Swedish cup winners BK Häcken, coach Xabi Alonso's team, who made eight changes to their "B" team, also secured group victory ahead of time. This secures direct entry into the round of 16 without having to go through the play-offs against a team relegated from the Champions League.
The goal scored by Patrik Schick, who scored his first goal in 284 days after a long period of suffering, was a particularly wonderful moment (74'). Victor Boniface had opened the scoring (14). Bayer is now the only team among the 32 participants to have won all five group matches. In addition, last year's semi-finalists celebrated five consecutive European Cup victories for the first time in almost 30 years. The most recent success was the 18th in the 19th competitive match of the season. Sunday's Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund is a landmark home game. The runners-up are currently ten points behind the Werkself.
Although the pitch had to be cleared on Wednesday evening after heavy snowfall, the match was not in doubt. At kick-off on Thursday, it did not snow at two degrees below zero. At the break, the first flakes fell again in the venerable Ullevi stadium in Gothenburg, and the pitch became increasingly slippery as the game progressed.
The Swedes, whose season has been over since November 12, started boldly and pressed early despite four previous defeats and the sobering 4-0 loss in the first leg. Bayer nevertheless had the game under control with over 60 percent possession and made the most of their first chance. After a cross from Bayern loanee Josip Stanisic, Boniface headed in from four meters out at the far post.
Schick comes and scores
The Nigerian, who was top scorer in the Europa League in the previous season in a Saint-Gilles shirt, has not scored in the Bundesliga for five games or 449 minutes. He has now scored in four out of five games in his favorite competition. However, the Bundesliga club did not shine at all in the following game, only had one more chance before the break through Nathan Tella (22') and almost conceded an equalizer (34') after Matej Kovar, who replaced regular keeper Lukas Hradecky in the European Cup as in every game before.
"We're playing seriously, but the Swedes are also doing well," said club boss Fernando Carro during the break on RTL. Alonso continued to hand out match practice. He brought on 18-year-old Noah Mbamba for Boniface at the break and Schick in the 63rd minute, who again made the difference eleven minutes later following an assist from Stanisic.
- The emotional moment that crowned Bayer's breakthrough in the Europa League was Patrik Schick scoring his first goal in over 284 days, during their march through the group stage.
- Despite the chic winter weather in Gothenburg, Bayer Leverkusen, with their strengthened B-team, continued their impressive run in the Europa League, with more emotional moments like Schick's goal in March.
- With Patrik Schick's goal in the 74th minute, Bayer Leverkusen, who are playing like champions in both the Bundesliga and Europa League, secured a more emotional victory, making it five wins in a row in the competition.
Source: www.ntv.de
