Bayer Leverkusen’s winning streak has ended. For coach Xabi Alonso’s team, it was only enough for a 0-0 away game at VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday, Bayer had previously won five times in a row in the Bundesliga. The goalless draw is only of limited use as an encouragement for the quarter-final second leg in the Europa League next Thursday at Union Saint-Gilloise (first leg 1-1). Leverkusen remains sixth in the Bundesliga table, while VfL is still in ninth place, four points behind.
Bayer coach Alonso rotated five positions compared to the European Cup game against Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise and initially left national players Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Tah on the bench. “Today we need something different,” said the 2010 world champion before kick-off.
However, the last best Bundesliga team was noticeably under pressure from the international games. The long balls to the offensive stars around Moussa Diaby, who VfL coach Niko Kovac described as “nimble boys”, rarely came across. There was hardly any sign of the joy of playing in the past few weeks. Adam Hlozek had the best opportunity in the first half hour. The Czech hit the crossbar, but passer Jeremie Frimpong was previously offside (27′).
Wolfsburg didn’t do much better after not having won the previous five home games. Without captain Maximilian Arnold, who was ill, there was a lack of power in midfield in front of 20,137 spectators. The best and only VfL chance before the break came from Yannick Gerhardt, whose header went just over Bayer goalkeeper Hradecky’s goal (33′).
Both teams came out of the dressing room with much more vigor and there were scoring opportunities compared to the first half. Wolfsburg attacker Omar Marmoush was denied by Hradecky (47′). On the other side, Koen Casteels brilliantly parried a Diaby shot (53′) with his foot.
Bayer coach Alonso brought in offensive star Wirtz after just under an hour. With the substitution of the 19-year-old exceptional talent, Bayer became more dominant and continued to put the strains of the Europa League on. VfL keeper Casteels cleared a flick from Kerem Demirbay for a corner.
However, the short offensive phase of the Alonso team had no effect. Wolfsburg broke free and had the chance to score the winner thanks to substitute Patrick Wimmer. However, the offensive player failed because of the well-reacting Hradecky. On the other side, Amine Adli missed (88′).
At the anniversary of coach Urs Fischer, 1. FC Union Berlin missed a big step towards the Champions League. In the coach’s 200th competitive game on the sidelines, the Irons only drew 1-1 (1-0) against VfL Bochum on Sunday. Josip Juranovic (45.3 minutes) gave the hosts the lead in the stadium at the Alte Försterei with a free kick goal worth seeing. Kevin Stöger (55th) scored the equalizer for the Revierclub with a penalty kick.
In the final phase, Berliners still struggled for the winning goal despite being outnumbered after the yellow-red card for Paul Jaeckel (62nd). After all, the impressive series of unbeaten home games could be extended to 20 games. With the draw, Union again overtook RB Leipzig for third place in the Bundesliga, but with 52 points they are only one point ahead of the Saxons and two over SC Freiburg, which is fifth beyond the premier class ranks. Bochum was able to extend the lead over the relegation zone to three points thanks to the bravely fought-for point in 15th place.
Fischer had expected a lot of “sharpness” in the duel with the Revierclub. As the Swiss had hoped, his team got off to a good start. Rani Khedira was just prevented from scoring by an opponent during the first attack. Danilho Doekhi’s attempt from the following corner went over the bar. The Dutchman had another chance shortly after, but the shot was too weak.
Bochum’s ingredients for an attractive early evening of football were limited. Ambitions to score their own goals were initially put on the back burner. In the Bochum defense, ex-Unioner Keven Schlotterbeck (12th) had to leave early with a suspected knee injury, Dominique Heintz, who is currently on loan from Berlin, came in for him.
Since the Berliners struggled against the physicality of VfL, the game got tough. Kevin Behrens, who worked hard as a target player in a duel with Bochum’s blocker Ivan Ordets, headed wide (20′).
Fischer seemed quite restless, almost annoyed. After a verbatim dispute with referee Tobias Stieler about an obviously wrong throw-in decision, the coach worked with his hands and feet on a large, cleared piece of grass directly in front of his coaching bench.
Not far from the patched green, Jerome Roussillon (37th) tried to cross a little later, which had an accident and became dangerous because of it. The waving of the all clear from VfL goalkeeper Manuel Riemann was in any case premature. The ball hit the crossbar.
The Unioners needed a lucky shot – and they got it. In injury time, Juranovic took a free kick from a central position from around 25 meters and curled the ball over the Bochum Wall into the goal. Durable for Riemann? Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer would certainly have a goalkeeper discussion on his cheek for a comparable useless flight in Munich.
Bochum now had to do more. And look, they did more. Patrick Osterhage (47th) put a kind of warning shot just outside the goal corner. A rather clumsy entry from Aïssa Laïdouni against Ordets led to Stieler’s undisputed penalty. Stöger shot in to equalize. Fischer’s mood got even worse when Jaeckel received a yellow-red card for a second clumsy foul. The Union’s celebration of an alleged own goal by Riemann (66th) after a shot by Behrens was worthless. The video referee decreed an offside position. Shortly before the end, Behrens had another chance to win (85′).
