Bayer Leverkusen reignited their late-game comeback prowess reminiscent of their title-winning exploits by clinching a thrilling 4-3 victory over Stuttgart in the Bundesliga on Sunday. As the game approached its conclusion, and with Leverkusen trailing 3-2, the team was on the brink of recording a fourth consecutive loss across all competitions. However, in a dramatic twist, Victor Boniface’s pass deflected off Angelo Stiller for an own-goal, levelling the score in the 88th minute. Then, Jeremie Frimpong delivered a perfect cross for Patrik Schick, who headed in the decisive goal in the fourth minute of added time.
“This kind of win can really showcase that the team spirit is alive and kicking,” defender Jonathan Tah remarked to broadcaster DAZN. This victory rekindled memories of Leverkusen’s knack for snatching victory in the dying moments during their Bundesliga title triumph last season. The win also reduced Bayern Munich’s lead at the top over second-placed Leverkusen to a mere six points. Bayern had played out a 1-1 draw at Union Berlin the day before.
“We aim to keep Bayern on their toes until the very end,” Leverkusen midfielder Robert Andrich confidently stated. Due to the absence of their star attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, Leverkusen’s coach, Xabi Alonso, was compelled to adjust his tactics, thus depending more on the physical presence of forwards like Schick and Boniface. Although the revised system couldn’t save Leverkusen from their Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern on Tuesday, it found its rhythm against Stuttgart.
The match saw Stuttgart taking the lead as early as the 15th minute, courtesy of an opportunistic shot by Ermedin Demirovic off a rebound. They further solidified their position shortly after halftime through a goal by the towering striker, Nick Woltemade. However, Leverkusen clawed back into the game when Frimpong found the net, giving the team hope. A twist in fortunes came when a shot from Stuttgart deflected off Leverkusen’s goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky and midfielder Granit Xhaka, resulting in an own-goal that took them to a 3-1 advantage. Leverkusen’s resurgence continued with Piero Hincapié’s goal from a corner, setting the stage for the dramatic conclusion.
In another fixture on Sunday, Eintracht Frankfurt maintained their push for Champions League qualification with a 3-1 triumph over Bochum, who are grappling with relegation fears. However, both teams endured an extended wait as kickoff was delayed by nearly an hour. This was due to a disagreement involving Frankfurt fans and security authorities over banners obstructing emergency exits, eventually resolved, allowing the game to commence 50 minutes later than scheduled.
Frankfurt’s goalkeeper, Kaua Santos, emerged as the match’s standout performer, executing a stunning save to block a diving header in added time while the score stood at 2-1. Frankfurt striker Michy Batshuayi then sealed the win by scoring his second goal in consecutive matches for his new club. Additionally, Heidenheim managed to break a nine-game winless streak by overcoming a late rally from Holstein Kiel to secure a 3-1 victory in a contest between the Bundesliga’s bottom two squads.
