Bayer Leverkusen left the field late after scoring two goals against Atletico Madrid after a 2-0 home win on Tuesday. Robert Andrich and Moussa Diaby scored late goals to give Bayer Leverkusen a 2-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday. Leverkusen scored twice in the final six minutes to secure only their second victory of the year and overtake Atletico Madrid to move into second place in Group B, leaving the Spanish team reeling. “I’m really pleased with the group. We will benefit significantly from beating a team like Atletico, especially given the stage we are in right now, “Jonathan Tah, a defender for Leverkusen, whose team has lost six out of its first nine games overall this season.
Leverkusen has dropped four of its six Bundesliga games this year and was defeated by Club Brugge in their Group B opening last week. Still, this effort against a Champions League powerhouse was incredibly encouraging. In the second half, the home team struck the crossbar twice in one play: Patrik Schick shot against it one-on-one with Atletico goalkeeper Ivo Grbic, and then Adam Hlozek headed the rebound against the post. Later in half, when Schick should have given his team the lead after slipping past Grbic, Atletico defender Felipe did enough to stop him, and the ball drifted wide.
After just seven minutes, Andrich had an excellent opportunity to give unlucky Leverkusen the lead, but he smashed the ball well over the bar from a close distance. Midway through the first half, defender Edmond Tapsoba appeared to handball, and Atletico was disappointed not to have been awarded a penalty. Although the replay showed that the ball had struck Tapsoba’s extended hand in the box, English official Michael Oliver declined to award a penalty after a lengthy discussion with the video assistant referee. Koke added, “The referee didn’t tell us anything about the decision; he just told us to keep playing. Atletico captain Koke stated, “We had more or less grip over the game because not much was happening, but then in two counterattacks, they score two goals. I believe we are capable of much more, as we have demonstrated in previous games“.
Both teams stepped up their play in the closing 10 minutes, but Leverkusen ultimately scored. Andrich received a low pass from Frimpong in the centre of the field, where he finished it off the first time inside the left post to score his maiden Champions League goal. Frimpong did well to outrun his defender. To cap everything, Frimpong then presented Diaby with a gorgeous cross.
