Soccer-Leverkusen squander two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Leipzig
LEIPZIG, Germany, Jan 25 – Champions Bayer Leverkusen wasted a two-goal lead and had to settle for a 2-2 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, which left them six points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.
The Bavarians sit atop the table with 48 points after a 2-1 victory at Freiburg, while Leverkusen remains in second place with 42 points.
Leverkusen began the match brightly under the guidance of coach Xabi Alonso, looking to rebound after experiencing a 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League earlier in the week. They were eager to secure a positive result ahead of their final group stage match at home against Sparta Prague next week.
The opening goal came in the 18th minute thanks to the impressive Florian Wirtz. After hitting the woodwork twice, Wirtz skillfully dribbled past three Leipzig defenders and struck the post, only for Patrik Schick to slot in the rebound, giving Leverkusen the lead.
Wirtz continued to be a threat, forcing Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi into a remarkable save, with the keeper deflecting his shot onto the post. Later in the first half, Wirtz provided a crucial assist to Aleix Garcia, who easily tapped the ball home in the 36th minute, doubling Leverkusen’s lead.
“Today he (Wirtz) had four, five world-class moves,” Alonso commented in a press conference. “It is a pleasure to see him play and help him.”
Leipzig began their comeback four minutes before halftime when David Raum scored from a free kick. The home side had a golden opportunity to level the match in the 71st minute when Benjamin Sesko found himself with a clear shot on goal, but his attempt was impressively blocked by Leverkusen’s goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky.
In a dramatic twist, Leipzig equalized in the 85th minute, aided by Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba, who inadvertently scored an own goal by heading a cross into his own net.
“The result could be better as well as worse,” Alonso reflected. “We had our chances to score a third goal. We could have killed off the game. It is a pity, but it is tough to come here after our game in Madrid. We need to keep going.”
