BAYER LEVERKUSEN COACH Xabi Alonso said it was “hard to explain” why his unbeaten Bundesliga champions kept snatching games late after Saturday’s last-gasp 2-2 draw against Stuttgart.
Robert Andrich scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time, booting in a rebound from a Florian Wirtz free kick.
The goal extended Leverkusen’s unbeaten run to 46 games in all competitions this season and to keep the Bundesliga champions on track to become the first side to finish a league season undefeated.
“I haven’t seen that happen often in football. It’s hard to explain,” the 42-year-old manager told Sky.
Leverkusen have now scored 10 goals to win or equal matches in stoppage time this season.
Andrich’s 96th minute goal was the second-latest this season, after last Sunday’s Josip Stanisic goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time which snared a 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund.
Alonso ran along the touchline to celebrate with his players last week but stood still and smiled this week after Robert Andrich’s goal went in.
“Last week I got a little emotional, but this week I just could not believe we did it again.”
Alonso’s counterpart, Stuttgart manager Sebastian Hoeness, was disappointed the referee allowed the clock to run before Leverkusen’s goal in a “hectic and very emotional” game.
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“It was four minutes, then it was five minutes. In my view, the free kick should not have been allowed to happen.”
Leverkusen started the season with just two major trophies in their history — one German Cup and the Europa League.
Having broken through for the first league title in their 120-year history earlier in April, Alonso’s side are on course for a remarkable treble.
Leverkusen face Roma in the Europa League semi-finals, with the first leg in the Italian capital on Thursday. Alonso’s side have also made it to the German Cup final, where they will face second-division Kaiserslautern.
Earlier on Saturday, Harry Kane scored twice in Bayern Munich’s 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt to set a new personal record for goals in a season.
Kane was on the scoresheet again for Bayern Munich. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Kane scored in each half, finishing off a tearing Konrad Laimer run and converting a penalty, to raise his league tally to 35 goals in 31 games.
Kane is now six goals shy of Robert Lewandowski’s all-time single-season Bundesliga goals record and has hit a personal best of 42 goals in all competitions this campaign.
The England captain’s goals came either side of a Hugo Ekitike stunner, a day after the Frenchman became a permanent Frankfurt player.
Despite the victory, which solidified Bayern’s chances of a second-placed finish, both Laimer and defender Matthijs de Ligt were subbed off with injury just days before Tuesday’s home Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
Dortmund, Germany’s other Champions League semi-finalist, had a setback ahead of hosting Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, being thoroughly outclassed in a 4-1 defeat at Leipzig.
England winger Jadon Sancho curled an excellent shot from the edge of the box into the top right corner to give Dortmund the lead.
Jolted to life, Leipzig equalised almost immediately, Lois Openda turning in a superb Xavi Simons cross for his 24th goal of the season.
Leipzig then scored two quick-fire goals either side of half-time. Benjamin Sesko pounced on a rebound just before the break and Openda found Mohamed Simakan early in the second.
Christoph Baumgartner added a fourth with 10 minutes remaining to send Leipzig five points clear of Dortmund in fourth, the final guaranteed Champions League spot — although Germany are on track for five placings next season.
Werder Bremen guaranteed first division football next season, winning 3-0 away at Augsburg to go 10 points clear of the drop with three games to play.
Goals from Romano Schmid and Olivier Deman and a Marvin Ducksch penalty took Bremen to a second-straight win for the first time since February.
Wolfsburg also took a major step towards securing top-flight football, scoring two goals in the final minutes to come from behind and beat 10-man Freiburg 2-1.
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Leverkusen's late heroics 'hard to explain', says Alonso
BAYER LEVERKUSEN COACH Xabi Alonso said it was “hard to explain” why his unbeaten Bundesliga champions kept snatching games late after Saturday’s last-gasp 2-2 draw against Stuttgart.
Robert Andrich scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time, booting in a rebound from a Florian Wirtz free kick.
The goal extended Leverkusen’s unbeaten run to 46 games in all competitions this season and to keep the Bundesliga champions on track to become the first side to finish a league season undefeated.
“I haven’t seen that happen often in football. It’s hard to explain,” the 42-year-old manager told Sky.
Leverkusen have now scored 10 goals to win or equal matches in stoppage time this season.
Andrich’s 96th minute goal was the second-latest this season, after last Sunday’s Josip Stanisic goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time which snared a 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund.
Alonso ran along the touchline to celebrate with his players last week but stood still and smiled this week after Robert Andrich’s goal went in.
“Last week I got a little emotional, but this week I just could not believe we did it again.”
Alonso’s counterpart, Stuttgart manager Sebastian Hoeness, was disappointed the referee allowed the clock to run before Leverkusen’s goal in a “hectic and very emotional” game.
“It was four minutes, then it was five minutes. In my view, the free kick should not have been allowed to happen.”
Leverkusen started the season with just two major trophies in their history — one German Cup and the Europa League.
Having broken through for the first league title in their 120-year history earlier in April, Alonso’s side are on course for a remarkable treble.
Leverkusen face Roma in the Europa League semi-finals, with the first leg in the Italian capital on Thursday. Alonso’s side have also made it to the German Cup final, where they will face second-division Kaiserslautern.
Earlier on Saturday, Harry Kane scored twice in Bayern Munich’s 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt to set a new personal record for goals in a season.
Kane scored in each half, finishing off a tearing Konrad Laimer run and converting a penalty, to raise his league tally to 35 goals in 31 games.
Kane is now six goals shy of Robert Lewandowski’s all-time single-season Bundesliga goals record and has hit a personal best of 42 goals in all competitions this campaign.
The England captain’s goals came either side of a Hugo Ekitike stunner, a day after the Frenchman became a permanent Frankfurt player.
Despite the victory, which solidified Bayern’s chances of a second-placed finish, both Laimer and defender Matthijs de Ligt were subbed off with injury just days before Tuesday’s home Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
Dortmund, Germany’s other Champions League semi-finalist, had a setback ahead of hosting Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, being thoroughly outclassed in a 4-1 defeat at Leipzig.
England winger Jadon Sancho curled an excellent shot from the edge of the box into the top right corner to give Dortmund the lead.
Jolted to life, Leipzig equalised almost immediately, Lois Openda turning in a superb Xavi Simons cross for his 24th goal of the season.
Leipzig then scored two quick-fire goals either side of half-time. Benjamin Sesko pounced on a rebound just before the break and Openda found Mohamed Simakan early in the second.
Christoph Baumgartner added a fourth with 10 minutes remaining to send Leipzig five points clear of Dortmund in fourth, the final guaranteed Champions League spot — although Germany are on track for five placings next season.
Werder Bremen guaranteed first division football next season, winning 3-0 away at Augsburg to go 10 points clear of the drop with three games to play.
Goals from Romano Schmid and Olivier Deman and a Marvin Ducksch penalty took Bremen to a second-straight win for the first time since February.
Wolfsburg also took a major step towards securing top-flight football, scoring two goals in the final minutes to come from behind and beat 10-man Freiburg 2-1.
– © AFP 2024
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Bundesliga Bayer Leverkusen Xabi Alonso