Leon Bailey and Sven Bender on target again as Leverkusen come from behind to beat Cologne
Leon Bailey and Sven Bender were both on target – for the second successive Bundesliga game – as Bayer Leverkusen came from a goal down to beat local rivals Cologne 2-1 on Matchday 10.
Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Cologne
Goals: 0-1 Guirassy (23'), 1-1 Bailey (53'), 2-1 S. Bender (74')
The youngest Leverkusen line-up of the calendar year (average age: 23.9) began with youthful abandon, but Kevin Volland sent Die Werkself's best first-half chance - an eighth-minute volley – over the bar. Despite Bayer's dominance of possession, Cologne were always a threat in transition, and Sehrou Guirassy gave the visitors the lead midway through the first period, his touch and control bamboozling Jonathan Tah inside the six-yard box. Perhaps unfortunate to go behind, Heiko Herrlich's side remained on the front foot as half-time approached, but Dominique Heintz was in the right place to block Kai Havertz's goalbound effort prior to the interval.
It proved to be one of Havertz's final actions; the youngster was replaced by Lucas Alario at the break, with the Argentinian involved as Bayer almost immediately pulled level, the substitute's clever through-ball finding Bailey, who rounded Timo Horn and tapped in. The Jamaican almost gave his side the lead ten minutes later, but Horn stopped his low shot on this occasion, before Julian Brandt fired straight at the Cologne keeper in the 65th minute. The dominant hosts did complete the turnaround soon after, though, Bender's clever finish leaving Horn with no chance after the visitors failed to clear a corner. Bayer held firm in the closing stages to make it five games unbeaten; Cologne remain winless and bottom.
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Man of the match
Bailey put in an excellent display on the Leverkusen right, the Jamaican's third goal of the season was deserved reward for an electric showing. Indeed, the 20-year-old could have added to his tally later in the second half, were it not for an excellent stop from Horn.
Match stats
- Bailey and Bender were both on target on Matchday 9 as well, scoring in Leverkusen's 5-1 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach.Cologne took the lead for the first time this season in a Bundesliga game.Guirassy's goal was his first in Germany's top flight, in his 13th game.Leverkusen have scored in the last 15 Bundesliga games, the longest run of any top-flight side.Bailey's goal was his third of the season, but his first-ever strike at the BayArena.Cologne substitute Tim Handwerker spent his youth career with Bayer Leverkusen.Bender has now scored twice in a Bundesliga season for the first time.
Line-ups
Leverkusen: Leno – Retsos (Henrichs, 46'), Tah, S. Bender, Wendell - Baumgartlinger, Aranguiz - Bailey (Kohr, 89'), Havertz (Alario, 46'), Brandt - Volland
Coach: Heiko Herrlich
Cologne: T. Horn - Sörensen, Maroh (Klünter, 46'), Heintz, J. Horn - Lehmann (c) (Jojic, 77'), S. Özcan - Zoller, Bittencourt – Osako (Handwerker, 64'), Guirassy
Coach: Peter Stöger
Watch: Bailey on Leverkusen's "champagne" victory