German champion Bayer Leverkusen misplaced a Bundesliga recreation for the primary time in 15 months when Loïs Openda scored twice in a 3-2 comeback win for Leipzig on Saturday.
Beneath coach Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen has made essential late targets a speciality. It briefly appeared like that may occur once more when the referee went to evaluation a attainable penalty within the 86th minute after Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba and Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick made contact.
The referee determined towards the spot kick and Leverkusen misplaced to a German opponent for the primary time since Might 2023 after 35 Bundesliga video games unbeaten, together with its total title-winning 2023-24 season.
“It is exhausting, it is bitter,” Alonso advised German broadcaster Sky. “I do not assume we deserved to lose in the present day.”
Leipzig got here again from 2-0 down because it made probably the most of comparatively few probabilities, typically on the counter, to seal a comeback win. Its three targets got here from 10 photographs to Leverkusen’s 27.
Leverkusen scored twice within the area of six first-half minutes, first when Jeremie Frimpong intercepted a unfastened go, despatched defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu the improper approach and beat goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi. Alex Grimaldo then completed off a workforce transfer that included new signing Martin Terrier drawing Gulacsi out of place.
Nonetheless, the momentum was with Leipzig at halftime after Kevin Kampl’s added-time header, and Openda then turned the sport round with two exact finishes. He leveled the rating with a shot from a decent angle close to the touchline, and made it 3-2 with a curling effort from outdoors the field.
“Leipzig’s objective (from Kampl) earlier than the break was one thing that modified (the sport),” Alonso stated. “We had been ready to play nicely and maintain going within the second half, however we did not have an excessive amount of management, the sport was too open and we conceded two targets too merely.”
Leipzig managed its comeback with out coach Marco Rose, who was despatched to the stands early on after two yellow playing cards for dissent in fast succession.
Reporting by The Related Press.
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