Autumn champion after a trembling victory
World champions save Bayer Leverkusen at the very last minute
January 13, 2024, 5:38 p.m
Bayer Leverkusen are the autumn champions of the Bundesliga. However, coach Exequiel Palacios scores in an entertaining game at FC Augsburg.
Despite its numerous failures, Bayer Leverkusen secured the “Autumn Championship” a few weeks late. Thanks to a late goal from Exequiel Palacios (90th + 4), coach Xabi Alonso’s team won 1-0 (0-0) at the cheeky FC Augsburg and can get away from FC Bayern, who have a catch-up game against Union on January 24th Berlin has to complete, can no longer be caught at the end of the first half of the season. The Werkself are currently four points ahead in the second half of the season.
Leverkusen was the better team against strong Augsburg players at home, who had only managed one win from their previous seven games. The guests had numerous good opportunities to achieve their 14th win of the season in an entertaining, open encounter at all times. What was missing was the ultimate consistency and accuracy in the final result – until the winning goal from Argentine world champion Palacios. FCA keeper Finn Dahmen had previously prevented anything worse from happening.
Stanisic stresses Hradecky
This time, Robert Andrich took on the central role in Leverkusen’s defense, which has already been thinned out by the secondment of regulars Odilon Kossounou and Edmond Tapsoba for the Africa Cup – a precautionary measure: Jonathan Tah (four yellow cards) threatened to be banned from the top team. There was a threat of a game next weekend at RB Leipzig. Florian Wirtz was also missing from the starting line-up, but came on after an hour.
The Werkself’s reorganized defense ran into trouble for the first time in the 13th minute when Josip Stanisic passed back to Lukas Hradecky in a tight spot – the goalkeeper cleared the ball in desperate need with his body. Otherwise, Leverkusen played largely like Leverkusen before the winter break and were clearly superior – but Augsburg remained toxic and always a threat with counterattacks.
Augsburg’s lead is revoked
What the guests lacked were goals, although Leverkusen had good chances to take the lead early on. Alejandro Grimaldo’s shot was parried by Finn Dahmen (18th), then the Augsburg goalkeeper, together with Felix Uduokhai, also cleared it against Patrik Schick (19th). After Augsburg’s opportunity through Ermedin Demirovic’s shot (22′), Grimaldo hit the crossbar a few minutes later (28′). Dahmen was there again for Andrich’s header from close range (37′).
The second half was also characterized by the guests’ efforts to score a goal, with Schick and Granit Xhaka and Wirtz in particular being denied success. Phillip Tietz scored for Augsburg (72′) – but after a VAR check, referee Sven Jablonski (Bremen) ruled it offside. Palacios was then the match winner for Bayer.