by Leverkusen does not want to wake up from its sleep. Xabi Alonso’s men beat Leipzig 2-3 in a match that was decided in stoppage time with a goal from Hincapié to complete an epic comeback.
The pace of the game was controlled by the locals from the beginning, knowing that Leverkusen was a team that began the games by commanding and assuming possession with complete prominence. It was not like that, and Leipzig was able to impose theirs and entered the area with some danger in the very first moments.
That’s when the magic appeared.. Xavi Simons received the ball near the penalty spot and, with a first control and a subsequent touch from Dennis Bergkamp, the forward finished the ball and put it into the back of the net with a masterclass.. The Red Bull Arena crowd went crazy with their player’s latest work of art that put his team ahead on the scoreboard after 7 minutes of the game.
This initial goal marked the beginning of the local siege on the goal of Hradecky, a goalkeeper who prevented a second Leipzig goal in less than 20 minutes. As if that were not enough, Xabi Alonso had to see how Jeremy Frimpongwinger and one of his best players on the pitch, had to be replaced due to a femoral injury.
Grimaldo’s crosses from the left flank were Bayer Leverkusen’s only real threats in the closing minutes of the first half, but neither Schik nor Wirtz were able to connect with any effective shots.. Referee whistle and the locker room tunnels.
A manual ‘give and take’
In the second half, the visitors used the same medicine as Leipzig. A little more than a minute had passed when Nathan Tella caught a low lateral center from Alejandro Grimaldo, who otherwise would have leveled the score. Blunder error from the ‘Die Bullen’ defense.
Now the tables had turned, and Xabi Alonso’s men found more and more space and felt comfortable with the ball at their feet, good feelings that ended in ‘coitus interruptus’. After a loss of the ball in a Leverkusen corner, Simons and Dani Olmo began a textbook counterattack that ended in Openda’s goal from the open field. Spectacular team play by the Rose boys, who regained the lead in the match in the 56th minute.
It was a clash between two giants who wanted to take the three points and who did not leave any ball for dead, something that was evident with the good reaction (again) of the visitors. In a strategy play from the left corner, Jonathan Tah came in like a rocket and finished off the ball with a powerful header. 2-2 in the 63rd minute and again tied.
The end of the game lived up to what we had experienced, with a goal from Hincapié in the 91st minute to put the game away in favor of Leverkusen. Xabi Alonso and the entire bench went crazy after an epic comeback.
