Leon Bailey double not enough as Hannover hold Bayer Leverkusen to 4-4 draw
Leon Bailey's second-half brace was not enough for Bayer Leverkusen as Hannover struck late to rescue a point in a barnstorming 4-4 draw at the HDI-Arena.
Hannover 4-4 Bayer Leverkusen
Goals: 0-1 Brandt (11'), 1-1 Bebou (12'), 2-1 Füllkrug (21'), 2-2 Mehmedi (25'), 3-2 Klaus (45') 3-3 Bailey (47'), 3-4 Bailey (67'), 4-4 Korb (83')
Unbeaten in their last 11, Leverkusen took an 11th-minute lead when Julian Brandt expertly volleyed in Lars Bender’s fine cross. The lead lasted barely a minute, though, as Ihlas Bebou headed in from Julian Korb to level. After Jonathan Tah was adjudged to have bumped over Felix Klaus in the box, Hannover forged ahead through Niclas Füllkrug’s penalty, only to gift Admir Mehmedi the equaliser moments later. Philipp Tschauner kept out a Lucas Alario header, before Klaus fired Hannover back into the lead on the stroke of half time.
Five goals in a first half was a first in the Bundesliga this season, but the action showed no signs of abating after the restart. Bailey had only been on the pitch for a couple of minutes when he raced onto fellow substitute Dominik Kohr’s slide-rule pass and slotted beyond Tschauner for 3-3. The Jamaican flier repeated the trick minutes later, slamming in on the counter to put Bayer back in control. Bailey squandered the opportunity to complete his hat-trick, and it was a miss that proved costly as Korb struck seven minutes from time to ensure Hannover a share of the spoils.
Man of the Match
Bailey made all the difference in Hannover, levelling with his second touch and showing great composure to complete his brace.
Watch: Bailey: "We could've put the game to bed"
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Match stats
- Bailey scored his first Bundesliga brace and first Bundesliga goals as a substitute.Leverkusen have drawn nine of their 18 Bundesliga trips to Hannover.Brandt only scored three goals in 32 appearances last season, but already has four in 16 this term.Leverkusen scored in the 11th minute for the second game running.Bayer are on the longest unbeaten run of any team in the Bundesliga (12 matches).Sven Bender made his Bundesliga debut in Hannover (19 September 2009) and has won eight of 11 Bundesliga games against the Lower Saxony side.
Line-ups
Hannover: Tschauner (c) - Sorg (Benschop 75'), Anton, Sane, Ostrzolek - Schwegler (Bakalorz 85'), Korb - Klaus (Sarenren Bazee 83'), Bebou, Fossum - Füllkrug
Unused subs:Esser, Albornoz, Hübner, Karaman
Absentees: Felipe (groin), Bech (knee), Prib (knee ligaments), Jonathas (thigh)
Coach: Andre Breitenreiter
Bayer Leverkusen: Leno - Tah, S. Bender (Kohr 46'), Retsos - Henrichs, L. Bender (c) (Bailey 46'), Mehmedi, Bellarabi - Havertz, Alario, Brandt (Ramalho 78')
Unused subs:Lomb, Baumgartlinger, Pohjanpalo, Volland
Absentees: Wendell (suspended), Yurchenko (foot), Aranguiz (muscular)
Coach: Heiko Herrlich