Bundesliga
Leverkusen wins late again – Hasenhüttl successful
Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick scored in stoppage time to make it 2-1 against Hoffenheim. photo
© Marius Becker/dpa
Leverkusen averted their first defeat late in the 39th competitive game of the season. How does FC Bayern react? The new coach’s debut at VfL Wolfsburg was successful, Mönchengladbach had little success.
The lead over FC Bayern is 13 points before Munich’s top game in the evening (6.30 p.m./Sky) against Borussia Dortmund. The new fourth place is RB Leipzig for the time being after a 0-0 draw against FSV Mainz 05. Ralph Hasenhüttl celebrated a debut as desired as the new coach of VfL Wolfsburg with the 2-0 (1-0) win at Werder Bremen.
Borussia Mönchengladbach suffered a 0:3 (0:1) defeat against SC Freiburg and slipped to 13th place. The Gladbachers were overtaken by 1. FC Union after a 0-0 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Andrich and Schick make Leverkusen cheer
The day before, Leverkusen celebrated the news that the sought-after coach Xabi Alonso would still be Bayer’s coach after the summer. But Hoffenheim took the lead: Maximilian Beier (33′) hit the goal with the guests’ first dangerous shot. Leverkusen then struggled to equalize with strong offensive football. Hoffenheim also had further chances, but Robert Andrich (88th) and Patrik Schick (90th + 1) turned the game around.
Leipzig created several chances and hoped for a hand penalty in the first half that was not given (8th). But Mainz held up well against it for a long time. The supposed opening goal for RB by Loïs Openda did not count because the Belgian had previously been played offside (45th).
Wolfsburg benefits from red card against Jung
Even with Hasenhüttl on the sidelines, Wolfsburg initially had problems finding their offensive game. At the end of a first half with few chances, the guests were helped by a whistle from referee Sascha Stegemann, who interpreted a foul by Bremen’s Anthony Jung as an emergency brake and showed the defender a red card (43′). The free kick that was also due for Wolfsburg just before the edge of the penalty area achieved nothing, but Maxence Lacroix (45th + 4) scored a little later from a corner. The goalscorer saw a red card himself in the second half (76′), before Lovro Majer (84′) secured VfL’s victory.
Michael Gregoritsch (7th) gave Freiburg an early lead in Mönchengladbach, and Merlin Röhl (47th) followed up early after the start of the second half. The 21-year-old scored with a low shot from distance. Ritsu Dōan (57th) decided the game.