Bayer Leverkusen, led by coach Xabi Alonso, beat Bayern Munich 3-0 at dwelling on Saturday to take a commanding five-point lead on the high of the Bundesliga desk.
Munich-born defender Josip Stanisic, on mortgage from Bayern, scored the opener within the 18th minute and Alex Grimaldo added one other early within the second half.
Jeremie Frimpong grabbed a 3rd in harm time, scoring on the counter after Manuel Neuer got here up for a Bayern nook, with Leverkusen rounding off an emphatic victory in type as they chase the membership’s first German title.
Bayern had few solutions in opposition to an lively and skillful Leverkusen aspect, fluent in assault, and stored tight management of star striker Harry Kane in protection.
With 13 video games remaining this season, five-time runners-up Leverkusen now have a golden probability to interrupt Bayern’s 11-year reign within the Bundesliga and shed their undesirable “Neverkusen” moniker.
“From minute one until minute 90, we had our foot on the pedal,” Leverkusen midfielder Robert Andrich informed Sky.
Alonso informed reporters “when you have players willing to make sacrifices, the team gets better.”
A visibly pissed off Thomas Mueller lamented Bayern’s dismal efficiency.
“Leverkusen were taking risks, looking for solutions and playing football,” he mentioned.
“We’re playing from A to B, B to C – and nobody plays freely or takes risks.”
Bayern got here into the sport beneath uncommon stress regardless of sitting simply two factors behind Leverkusen.
The recreation was delayed by 10 minutes as a result of ongoing protests in opposition to the German soccer affiliation’s resolution to permit elevated overseas funding, with followers throwing tennis balls and different objects onto the pitch because the gamers jogged to maintain heat.
Despite the delay, Leverkusen confirmed not one of the nerves seen amongst current challengers for Bayern’s crown, sticking to their high-risk, high-reward method regardless of a decent press from the guests.
Amine Adli had a half-chance and blasted straight at Neuer early, however it will be Stanisic who gave Leverkusen the lead in opposition to his dad or mum membership.
Stanisic beat new Bayern full-back Sacha Boey and tapped in a nice Andrich help from shut vary, for the primary Leverkusen aim.
Winners all 16 instances they’ve taken the lead this season, the aim foreshadowed a interval of Leverkusen dominance paying homage to their finest beneath Alonso, with Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Tah forcing last-ditch stops.
Not content material to guard their lead, Leverkusen got here out firing after the break and shortly doubled their lead.
Summer signing Grimaldo collected Nathan Tella’s cross and blasted previous Neuer 5 minutes into the second half.
With the clock winding down, Neuer went up for a Bayern nook, permitting Leverkusen wing-back Frimpong to run the size of the sector to seal an announcement win.
Openda misses penalty
Elsewhere, RB Leipzig’s hopes of closing in on the Champions League locations suffered a blow, with striker Lois Openda lacking a late penalty in a 2-2 draw at Augsburg.
Augsburg’s Phillip Tietz gave the house aspect the lead late within the first half with a clear volley however Openda headed Leipzig stage shortly after, his fifteenth aim of the season.
Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko produced a carbon copy of Openda’s header to place Leipzig forward however Ermedin Demirovic pulled Augsburg again on stage phrases, blasting in with half-hour remaining.
Openda then had the possibility to win it for Leipzig, however his spot-kick was stored out by Finn Dahmen, who has stopped 4 of the 12 Bundesliga penalties he has confronted.
Leipzig, who have been six factors away from Borussia Dortmund on the winter break, now sit three behind the fourth-placed membership having gained only one in 5 since Christmas.
Union Berlin gained 1-0 at dwelling to Wolfsburg in a match delayed by virtually an hour as a result of protests in opposition to the German FA, Danilho Doekhi heading in the one aim within the twenty fifth minute of first-half harm time.
Source: www.dailysabah.com