Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 Augsburg
Goals: 1-0 Alario (pen. 16'), 1-1 Caligiuri (51'), 2-1 Alario (74'), 3-1 Diaby (90+4')

Having never managed to beat Leverkusen since earning promotion to the Bundesliga in 2011, losing 12 and drawing six, Augsburg began with the air of a team intent on setting that right. Yet while their intense pressing and fighting spirit put them on top early on, they never troubled home goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, allowing Leverkusen to gradually take control. They were handed – quite literally – the opening on 16 minutes when Raphael Framberger handled Nadiem Amiri’s corner from the right, and Alario emphatically scord the opener from the resulting penalty. Die Werkself subsequently dominated the game and had 64 per cent of possession by half-time, but they struggled to break down a well-drilled Augsburg defence, with wayward shots from Alario, Exequiel Palacios and Leon Bailey the best they had to show for their efforts.

Augsburg coach Heiko Herrlich made two attacking substitutions at the internal, bringing on Ruben Vargas and Fredrik Jensen, and the move immediately breathed new life into their approach play. Carlos Gruezo fired over with an early warning shot following good work from Vargas, who teed up Daniel Caligiuri for the equaliser moments later, the former Schalke winger drilling a low shot past Hradecky from 12 yards. Vargas headed off target from a corner as Augsburg threatened to wrestle control of the game, but Alario had other ideas. Shortly after hitting the post with a header, the Argentinian scored his second of the game by nodding in Amiri’s free-kick. The away side threw everything forward, including goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz, in the closing stages as they desperately sought to pull level again, but they conceded a late third when Bailey rolled the ball into Diaby’s path on the counter-attack, leaving the Frenchman a simple tap-in to seal a victory that lifts Peter Bosz’s side into the top four.

B04 Leverkusen Bayer Leverkusen - FCA Augsburg Augsburg

Alario brace sends Leverkusen fourth