Thursday, September 16, 2021
Successful in the Europa League
Dream goal paves Bayer’s way to comeback victory
Bayer Leverkusen fell behind early on against Ferencvaros Budapest, and the Bundesliga side had an unfortunate start to the Europa League season. But Leverkusen managed the turnaround. Also because a goal is denied shortly before the break.
Young star Florian Wirtz gave Bayer Leverkusen the important opening win in the Europa League. The 18-year-old international scored the winning goal (69th minute) in the 2-1 (1-1) against the Hungarian record champions Ferencvaros Budapest and the long-time Cologne coach Peter Stöger and secured a successful European Cup debut with Bayer for the new coach Gerardo Seoane. After the founding of the Conference League and the downsizing of the starting field, the group win is more important than ever, because the first in the table save the second round against the relegated from the Champions League and move straight to the round of 16. Ryan Mmaee gave the Stöger team an early lead in front of 11,013 spectators (8th). The Argentine Ezequiel Palacios equalized with his first goal in the 25th competitive game for Bayer (37th).
Seoane had made four changes compared to the 3: 4 spectacle against Borussia Dortmund in the league, including the French Amine Adil (22) made his starting eleven debut for Bayer. The requirement remained the same: be offensive and dominant. But the weaknesses to the rear quickly became apparent. Jeremie Frimpong had moved too far on the right, the fast Tokmac Nguen served Mmaee and he pushed the ball over the line. Stöger accepted the hit stoically with a slight smile. Bayer was visibly shocked and was lucky not to catch the second goal. After 20 minutes, goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky was infected, who threw a throw into Nguen’s feet, but saved his shot.
The first big chance for the Bundesliga club had Kerem Demirbay, whose free kick from 25 meters was barely fished out of the corner by goalkeeper Denes Dibusz (25th). The Ferencvaros goalkeeper also parried a shot from Lucas Alario (31st). Now Bayer got security, the compensation by Palacios after the removal of Frimpong was the logical consequence. Less than two minutes later, Ferencvaros supposedly cheered the 2-1, but Balint Vecsei had jumped the ball before the successful shot on the arm. A Bayer goal by Jonathan Tah (45th) was also canceled for foul play.
After the change Leverkusen ran up, Budapest was low and hardly made any relief attacks. However, the Hungarians had a strong keeper in Dibusz who, among other things, fended off a header from Adil (59th). After 66 minutes, Seoane put everything on one card with a triple change – and was rewarded two minutes later.
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