Matchday 16 - Schick hat-trick in starting eleven comeback - Bayer break record
Bayer Leverkusen improved on a record of more than 40 years set by Hamburger SV in Patrik Schick 's fantastic comeback to the starting eleven and went into the new year without a single defeat.
Led by the outstanding hat-trick scorer Schick, the Werkself, already crowned Christmas champions of the Bundesliga before the game, defeated VfL Bochum 4:0 (3:0) at the end of the year. The 25 competitive matches without defeat from the start of the season are a German record. This was previously held not by serial champions FC Bayern Munich, but by HSV since the 1982/83 season.
Man of the day was Schick, who scored all the goals before half-time in his first Bundesliga start for more than 14 months. First he converted a penalty that he himself had conceded (30th minute), then less than two minutes later he scored in goal-scoring style, then with a header from a corner kick (45.+1). Victor Boniface, who came on for Schick, added another two minutes after coming on (69').
Top of the table at Christmas
After 1993, 2001 and 2009,Leverkusen are top of the table for the fourth time this winter, but Bayer have never been champions. They have a four-point lead over FC Bayern, who still have a catch-up game against Union Berlin to play. Bochum, who inflicted Leverkusen's last defeat to date with a 3-0 win on the last matchday of the previous season, go into the winter break with a comfortable six-point lead over the relegation places.
Alonso practically rehearsed for the worst-case scenario and left all five players who will be missing in January due to the Africa Cup on the bench at kick-off. The Bochum fans fired off pyrotechnics as the team entered the pitch. Referee Daniel Schlager therefore had to interrupt the match after around one and a half minutes. After a break of around two minutes, play resumed.
Bochum were well in the game at first and had the first chance of the match through Christopher Antwi-Adjei (10'). The hosts, who had changed four positions, took a while to find their feet against the surprisingly courageous and well-organized underdogs.
Penalty brings Leverkusen into the game
In the 28th minute, Bochum had a 4:1 lead in shots on goal and a 2:0 lead in corners when one scene turned everything on its head: Schick was sent upfield by Florian Wirtz and put the ball past VfL keeper Manuel Riemann. Riemann tried his best not to touch the Czech international and pulled his arms back, but the penalty was still justifiable. Schick converted against penalty specialist Riemann.
Bochum were now shocked, Leverkusen played in their usual manner. Riemann saved from Jeremie Frimpong (34') and Jonas Hofmann (42') before the break, while Alejandro Grimaldo shot over Riemann's vacated goal from seven meters after a counter-attack (43'). Thanks to Schick, however, the game was decided before the break.
Schick almost scored his fourth goal ten minutes after the break. Riemann prevented this with a foot save. Robert Andrich scored with his head, but the goal was disallowed due to Wirtz being ruled offside (62'). Schick was allowed to leave the field after 66 minutes. He clearly did not have enough strength for 90 minutes. But his replacement Boniface scored promptly.
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- Despite FC Bayern Munich's reputation for German soccer records, Bayer Leverkusen surpassed a 40-year-old record set by Hamburger SV.
- VfL Bochum faced a challenging match against the top of the Bundesliga table at Christmas, Leverkusen.
- In a compulsory game in North Rhine-Westphalia, Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Bochum had an intense encounter, with Patrik Schick making a significant impact.
- Manuel Riemann, the VfL Bochum goalkeeper, was tasked with stopping the prolific goalscorer Schick in the Bundesliga match against Leverkusen.
- Bayer Leverkusen's record-breaking performance in the Bundesliga has put them in a strong position, boasting a four-point lead over second-place FC Bayern Munich.
- Schick's outstanding hat-trick performance against Bochum was his first Bundesliga start in more than 14 months and an early Christmas present for Leverkusen fans.
- With FC Bayern still to play their catch-up game against Union Berlin, Leverkusen, who have not won the Bundesliga title since 2002, are poised to challenge the dominance of Bayern in German soccer.
- VfL Bochum could take solace in their comfortable lead over the relegation places despite losing to Bayer Leverkusen, who inflicted their last defeat of the season with a 3-0 win last year.
- Bayer 04 Leverkusen's record-breaking season continues under Head Coach Xabi Alonso, who had to make several changes due to missing players due to the Africa Cup.
- After Victor Boniface replaced Schick, he added another two goals to Leverkusen's tally, cementing their position at the top of the Bundesliga table and ensuring a successful end of year for the Werkself.
Source: www.stern.de
