Patrik Schick seals victory for Bayer Leverkusen at Union Berlin
Patrik Schick put away a brilliant Florian Wirtz cross as Bayer Leverkusen claimed a 2-1 win away at Union Berlin.
Union Berlin 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen
Goals: 0-1 Frimpong 2’ (assist: Grimaldo), 1-1 Jeong 29’ (assist: Hollerbach), 1-2 Schick 71’ (assist: Wirtz)
Union came into the clash aiming to maintain their unbeaten home record this season, while Leverkusen sought to continue their strong away form that had not seen them lose on their domestic travels since May 2023.
Frimpong strikes early
The match exploded into life almost immediately, with Jeremie Frimpong stunning the home crowd in the second minute. A long ball from Jonathan Tah found Alejandro Grimaldo on the left, who squared it to Frimpong for a simple finish past Frederik Rønnow. This early goal, Leverkusen's fastest of the season, set the tone for a pulsating encounter. Frimpong's speed was evident throughout, as he later clocked the fastest sprint of the match at 33.72 km/h.
Union fight back
Despite Leverkusen's early dominance, Union gradually found their footing. Their persistence paid off in the 29th minute when Wooyeong Jeong levelled the score. Benedict Hollerbach's excellent run and cross from the left found Jeong, who guided the ball past Lukáš Hrádecký. This goal ended Union's 322-minute scoring drought in the Bundesliga and injected new life into the match. The first half also saw yellow cards for Robert Andrich of Leverkusen and Tom Rothe of Union, reflecting the intense nature of the contest.
Tight affair
The second half saw both managers making strategic adjustments. Xabi Alonso's decision to introduce Wirtz and Exequiel Palacios in the 58th minute proved to be a masterstroke. Wirtz, in particular, brought a new dimension to Leverkusen's attack, creating chances and unsettling the Union defence. Union responded with their own changes, bringing on Yorbe Vertessen for Tim Skarke in the 68th minute.
Schick seals the win
The decisive moment came in the 71st minute when Schick restored Leverkusen's lead. Wirtz's pinpoint cross from the right found the Czech striker at the far post, who chested the ball into the net on his 100th Bundesliga appearance for the Werkself for what proved to be the winner in Berlin.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Union Berlin 1.13 - Leverkusen 1.48
Fastest player: Jeremie Frimpong (Leverkusen), 33.72 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-0 by Jeremie Frimpong (Leverkusen), 48 percent
Most pressed player: Granit Xhaka (Leverkusen), 25 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Granit Xhaka (Leverkusen), +4.2
Fantasy Heroes: Jeremie Frimpong (Leverkusen, 255 Points), Patrik Schick (Leverkusen, 237 Points), Tom Rothe (Union Berlin, 240 Points)
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