“You can’t give it up”: Lack of killer instinct: Bayer captain tears his team apart

“You can’t give it up”
Lack of killer instinct: Bayer captain tears his team apart

In coach Xabi Alonso’s 100th competitive game for Bayer Leverkusen, after eight minutes everything seems to be prepared for a celebration. But then the German soccer champions slip up and give away the victory against newly promoted Holstein Kiel. This makes Captain Lukas Hradecky mad.

Lukas Hradecky could hardly be stopped, after the completely unnecessary loss of points against the brave newly promoted Holstein Kiel, the captain of Bayer Leverkusen sounded the alarm. The goalkeeper complained that there was no longer any sign of the mentality that had carried Leverkusen to the double last season: “We were champions because we approached every game like crazy. Today I didn’t see the endless will in the game to kill.”

Instead, “metaphorically speaking, we let the patient live,” said Hradecky after the 2:2 (2:1). He didn’t see any “zeal or grit”; the Kiel team “deserved the point, quite honestly.” Coach Xabi Alonso, whose 100th competitive game for Bayer ended in great disappointment, initially sent his players into the locker room after the final whistle.

Bayer Leverkusen – Holstein Kiel 2:2 (2:1)

Goals: 1:0 Boniface (4th), 2:0 Hofmann (8th), 2:1 Geschwill (45th + 5th), 2:2 Arp (69th, penalty kick)

Leverkusen: Hradecky – Tah, Andrich (70th Hincapie), Tapsoba – Frimpong (77th Adli), Xhaka, Palacios (70th Garcia), Grimaldo – Hofmann (60th Terrier), Wirtz – Boniface (70th Schick). – Coach: Alonso

Kiel: Weiner – Ivezic, Erras, Geschwill – Becker, Knudsen, Porath (86th Komenda) – Holtby (86th Remberg), Gigovic (71st Schulz) – Machino (46th Arp), Skrzybski (46th Pichler). – Coach: Rapp

Referee: Robert Hartmann (cheeks)

Yellow cards: Frimpong (3), Tah-Knudsen (3), Weiner (2)

Leverkusen had a lot to discuss: After taking the lead through Victor Boniface (4th) and Jonas Hofmann (8th), Bayer shifted down several gears and were punished by Max Geschwill (45th + 5th) before the break. Fiete Arp (69th, penalty kick) turned the game on its head and caused a surprise. Record champions Bayern Munich could extend their lead over Leverkusen to five points on Sunday against Eintracht Frankfurt.

“We have conceded twelve goals after six games – these statistics are crazy,” said Hradecky. “The lead came too quickly, too easily. You can’t give up a 2-0 lead. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Holstein Kiel, AC Milan or FC Bayern,” said the goalkeeper. “This lightness and looseness radiated something other than seriousness – and that has to go.” National player Robert Andrich was also served. “It must never happen that we give this game away. Never,” said Andrich on Sky. “It’s a setback in the sense that in games like this – without making Kiel bad – you can’t leave any points behind. Especially when you’re leading 2-0.”

Kiel’s Finn Porath, on the other hand, praised the newcomer’s attitude. “A game like this makes us realize that we are always eligible for points,” he said: “That should give us courage for the next few weeks.”

Malicious Kiel fans

The Kiel team celebrated the draw on the pitch like a victory – together with their fans, who had nothing but malice for the Leverkusen team. “And you want to be German champions?” sang the Kiel supporters who had traveled with them.

After the highlight games at Bayern Munich in the league (1:1) and in the premier class against AC Milan (1:0), Leverkusen’s midfield boss Granit The concern initially turned out to be unfounded. With a double strike, Leverkusen made things clear early on. Alonso could be happy. However, Boniface’s third goal was canceled due to an offside position (26′).

The Kiel team, on the other hand, barely managed to cross the center line. When the master gradually switched to administration mode and made several lapses in concentration, Kiel struck almost out of nowhere. Shortly before the half-time whistle, Geschwwill shortened the score with a header from a corner.

There was no quick response to the goal. Kiel stabilized defensively and gained more courage in the offensive game: Edmond Tapsoba stopped a counterattack via Benedikt Pichler (67th) in desperate need. Leverkusen continued to act dominantly, but Alonso’s team hardly managed to get any compelling shots. Arp punished the negligence after Jeremie Frimpong fouled Armin Gigovic from Kiel in the penalty area.

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