Hradecky’s goat goes unpunished Bayer Leverkusen is having a lot of fun and is still wobbling October 1st, 2024, 11:18 p.m. Bayer Leverkusen and the Champions League, that’s still a fitting match. The Werkself also won their second game against AC Milan. Victor Boniface completes a wonderful combination to take the lead, but then Bayer wobbles badly. Second game, second win: Bayer Leverkusen set the next mark in the Champions League with rediscovered enthusiasm against AC Milan. After the dream start at Feyenoord Rotterdam (4-0), coach Xabi Alonso’s team followed up with a 1-0 (0-0) win against the top Italian club in their first premier class home game in almost two years. “I think we had very good control with and against the ball,” said Florian Wirtz at DAZN: “We can be happy with the performance.” Bayer Leverkusen – AC Milan 1:0 (0:0) Goal: 1:0 Boniface (51st)Leverkusen: Hradecky – Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie – Frimpong, Garcia (75th Andrich), Xhaka, Grimaldo (89th Belocian) – Adli (82.Palacios), Wirtz (89.Tella) – Boniface (75.Terrier). – Coach: AlonsoMilan: Maignan – Emerson, Tomori, Gabbia, Theo Hernandez – Fofana, Reijnders – Pulisic (80th Chukwueze), Loftus-Cheek, Rafael Leao – Abraham (62nd Morata). – Coach: FonsecaReferee: Sandro Schärer (Switzerland)Yellow cards: Garcia, Frimpong – Morata, ChukwuezeAttendees: 30,210 (sold out) Three days after the top game at Bayern Munich (1:1), the Werkself showed the recently missing balance between attack and Defensive. Victor Boniface (51st) scored the victory. In the third game of the new league phase, Bayer will now face Stade Brest (October 23rd) before heading to Anfield to face Liverpool FC. For Alonso it was a special reunion with the former model club. As a Liverpool FC professional, he won the trophy against Milan in 2005 after being 3-0 down at half-time and making perhaps the most memorable comeback in premier class history. “It’s a very fond memory for me,” he said. Andrich moves back to the bench. But he only allowed himself a brief look back. In the here and now, Alonso changed his starting eleven compared to the summit meeting in two positions, including Robert Andrich, who had ensured stability against Bayern, had to go back to the bench. And unlike in Munich, Bayer developed an offensive threat from the start. There had been a lot of discussion in advance about the champion’s staid performance last Saturday. With a quick offensive game, Leverkusen had their first chances this time through Boniface and Piero Hincapie (3rd). However, Boniface’s lead was revoked according to video evidence because crosser Jeremie Frimpong had previously been offside (21′). However, Leverkusen were lucky after almost half an hour that an impetuous and unnecessary grab by Edmond Tapsoba in Theo Hernández’s face went unpunished . Leverkusen’s constant pressure eased somewhat towards the end of the first half, but Alonso’s team still controlled the action. Defensively, Bayer was only slightly challenged by ex-Dortmunder Christian Pulisic, the Portuguese Rafael Leao and the rest of the attack of the third in Serie A. Hradecky was repeatedly in the spotlight with exceptional talent Florian Wirtz, who scored twice on his Champions League debut in Rotterdam had scored, opened the second half with an unplaced shot (49′). Unlike before the break, Boniface was not offside shortly afterwards when he scored the deserved lead with a goal. Milan woke up afterwards – and from then on caused significantly more problems for the Bayer defense. It was a fast-paced game with opportunities for both teams: Bayer goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky initially made a strong save against Tijjani Reijnders (56′), but then almost made a fatal mistake against substitute European champion Álvaro Morata (73′). Frimpong missed the decision (76th) and Theo Hernandez hit the crossbar for Milan (82nd). Morata headed the rebound just wide. But it was enough for Bayer, who were reeling in the final stages.
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Champions League: First super striker Victor Boniface scores, then Bayer Leverkusen staggers to victory
