Own goal saves Leipzig: Leverkusen slip up in top match

Wirtz set up two goals

The Leverkusen lead was just a logical consequence of their better play. Ex-Leipzig player Nordi Mukiele broke through in the center circle with what looked like a handball. The ball reached Wirtz, who outpaced two Leipzig players and hit the post with his finish. But Schick was there and only had to keep his foot out.

Leipzig's defense was sometimes careless. Wirtz, for example, was given several meters of space near the penalty area after 30 minutes. The shooting star's shot was just deflected onto the post by RB keeper Peter Gulacsi. Six minutes later, however, even the Hungarian was powerless. Arthur Vermeeren fumbled the ball in his own penalty area to Wirtz, who set up Garcia, who was ready to shoot. The goal was reviewed again, the Leipzig area felt Wirtz had been fouled in front of goal - but the VAR saw it differently. Goal.

Raum furious

Raum was furious - and he himself made sure the result was corrected. The international was lucky to see his free-kick from 20 meters deflected into the goal by Piero Hincapie. It brought back memories of the first leg, when Leipzig turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 win - Leverkusen's only defeat in 52 Bundesliga games.

However, Bayer came very close to scoring a third goal immediately after the break. Wirtz again dribbled effortlessly into the penalty area and played Exequiel Palacios (47) into the middle. But his finish was cleared off the line by Raum. RB coach Rose reacted and substituted both central midfielders. Nicolas Seiwald and Amadou Haidara replaced Vermeeren and Kevin Kampl.

What Leipzig continued to lack, however, was bright ideas against the very compact and largely commanding Leverkusen defense. Bayer relied almost exclusively on counter-attacks and were dangerous most of the time. Palacios (63) was again on target after Wirtz's pass, but his shot was too central. A minute later, Wirtz hit the post once again. Just three minutes later, Hincapie failed to take advantage of a clear chance.

In soccer, this kind of thing is punished. And Bayer did it themselves. After a free-kick from Simons, Christoph Baumgartner and Tapsoba went for the ball and it fell unstoppably from the Leverkusen player's head into his own goal.

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