
The difference between success and failure in football is often minimal. With twelve minutes to play, Croatia were on course for a win in the UEFA Nations League at Wembley Stadium with a 1-0 lead over the hosts England. If the World Cup runners-up had held on to their lead then Croatia would have been through to the finals in Portugal next June. However, a brilliant strike by TSG Hoffenheim forward Andrej Kramaric was not enough in the end. Jesse Lingard and Harry Kane sealed the comeback for England with their late goals. With far-reaching consequences: The Three Lions secured top spot in the group with the last-gasp victory while Croatia join Germany in being relegated from Group A. Tin Jedvaj (pictured above with Raheem Sterling), who was the match-winner against Spain on Thursday with his two goals in a 3-2 victory, again started at left-back before moving across to the right side of defence after half an hour. In the first half, the Bayer 04 pro cleared on the line with a header after the Croatia keeper was beaten.
Captain Julian Baumgartlinger and Aleksandar Dragovic were winners with Austria in a 2-1 win away to Northern Ireland as the Hertha Berlin player Valentino Lazaro sealed the victory with a goal in added time. Both Werkself pros played the full 90 minutes in Belfast. Regular first-choice keeper Lukas Hradecky, rested by Finland for this game, watched a 2-0 defeat in Hungary from the bench. The Finns were able to accept defeat as they were already group winners and promoted from Group B in the Nations League.
The last two Bayer 04 pros in action, in addition to Julian Brandt, Jonathan Tah and Kai Havertz, who are set to play for Germany against Holland on Monday night, are Isaac Kiese Thelin and Paulinho. The central striker is due to play for Sweden against Russia on Tuesday, following a 1-0 win in Turkey on Saturday. Kiese Thelin came on in the final minute of the game. A win by two or more goals could see Sweden, currently on three points, overtaking the group leaders Russia to seal promotion to Group A. Paulinho and the Brazil U20s have a second friendly against their contemporaries from Colombia on Tuesday following a goalless draw on Thursday.

The new eSports season is just around the corner. The VBL Club Championship by WOW starts on Thursday 15 October (from 18:00 CEST). And, as every year, here’s an overview: What changes are there? What is staying the same?
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Bayer 04 record-appearance maker Rüdiger Vollborn invites you to another evening in the popular ‘Rudi lädt ein’ series: on Tuesday 10 November, in collaboration with Bayer AG, the focus will be on the Nazi period. The focus will be on football, Bayer 04 and the city of Leverkusen.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen has secured a new network partner in Extreme Networks GmbH. The leading provider of AI-powered network automation has agreed a five-year partnership with the Bundesliga club, running until 30 June 2031. As part of this, the club’s existing Wi-Fi 5 infrastructure will be replaced by more than 400 Wi-Fi 7 access points, which are specifically designed to meet the requirements of a stadium with a high user density. The aim is to enhance the fan experience while optimising operational processes and security.
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New signing Miguel Gutiérrez has made a good start at Leverkusen and has promptly earned a nomination for Player of the Month in his first few weeks in the Bundesliga. He has scored one goal and provided three assists in four league games. The Spanish left-back has also brought some impressive stats with him to Bayer 04. Issue #56 of the Werkself magazine has taken a look at these figures. ‘Facts & Fun’ with Miguel Gutiérrez.
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With seven points, Mainz 05 are currently joint seventh, level on points with sixth-placed Bayer 04. In today’s head-to-head clash (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself must be particularly wary of the clinical Mainz strike duo. For Leverkusen fans who have left it to the last minute, there are still a few tickets available from the matchday ticket office. Those following the Black and Reds from home, on the other hand, have a choice: RTL is broadcasting the match on free-to-air TV, and Werkself Radio is also offering the expert commentary of former Bayer 04 player Falko Götz. Today’s matchday news.
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