After a ten-minute delay due to a build-up of smoke in the stadium, Bayer 04 immediately took control with FC Köln showing tactical discipline in their own half. It took 30 minutes before the Werkself had the first big chance from a free kick taken by Alejandro Grimaldo. The Spaniard just missed the target again three minutes later but then there were no more chances for either side – until FC Köln's Damion Downs made it 1-0 with almost the last kick of the half (45+10'). The visitors doubled the lead from a counter-attack after the restart with a goal scored by Linton Maina (54') with Patrik Schick halving the deficit just seven minutes later. The Black and Reds pressed forward in search of the leveller – and equalised. Schick headed home to make it 2-2 in added time (90+6') to take the tie into extra time. Substitute Victor Boniface turned the game round with a strike on 98 minutes to put the holders in the semi-finals. The match report is HERE.
Skipper Jonathan Tah said after the game: "That was a victory for the fans, for the city! Even though we were a bit sloppy with the ball at times and lacked focus in phases we managed to turn the game round. I always had the feeling that everybody had the hunger and drive to win the game." Scorer of two goals Patrik Schick said in response to a question on the last-minute equaliser in added time? "It was brilliant! Incredibly important! My job is to be there for crosses. You always have to be ready as a striker.”
Head coach Xabi Alonso summed up the Pokal tie as follows: "We’re happy to be in the semi-finals. It was a tough game against a good opponent. Perhaps we didn't have our best game but we showed a good reaction and played with a lot of courage and great belief."
The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger reports a "Pokal drama at the BayArena" and awards top marks for Leverkusen players to Patrik Schick (1.5), Victor Boniface (2), Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong (2.5 each). The Rheinische Post headline reads, "Bayer just avoid Pokal exit." And kicker reports: "Bayer defeat efficient Köln late on. A narrow win for the Werkself who only really got going when it was almost too late." The Bild-Zeitung writes: "The last-minute Werkself are back! As was so often the case last season: Added time is Bayer time!"
“Florian Wirtz! Florian Wirtz!” Rang out around the BayArena when the Werkself gathered in front of the North Stand after the final whistle. And the 21-year-old did not miss the chance to celebrate with the fans after the derby win and the associated progress to the semi-finals as he led the singing at the home end – the Red and Black party was in full swing!
Crucial for these scenes of celebration was obviously the brace from Patrik Schick who has now scored four goals in the current DFB Pokal campaign and is thereby the top scorer in the competition.
Bayer 04 have set a new club record with this derby win: It was the tenth win in the DFB Pokal in succession. Also a club record: The Werkself have scored in the last 35 ties in the DFB Pokal (101 goals in total) – the longest scoring run in this competition (at least since 2006). In addition, the holders under Xabi Alonso remain unbeaten across seasons in this competition.
The stats in the game clearly favour the holders whose run of clean sheets in the DFB Pokal finally came to an end after 526 minutes: 23 to 5 shots on goal, 79% possession, 58% of challenges won and a significantly better pass completion rate (91 to 70%).
After three home games, Bayer 04 are next in action on the road. The Werkself are away to VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday, 8 February (kick-off: 15.30 CET). That is followed a week later by the top match at the BayArena against Bayern Munich with the kick off at 18.30 CET.
Two keepers, lots of questions: Werkself captain Lukas Hradecky and U19 goalkeeper Jesper Schlich visited the BarmeniaGothaer children’s press conference in partnership with the Bayer 04 Lions Club on Wednesday afternoon. The duo faced interesting and at times unusual questions from around 50 inquisitive young journalists in the press conference room at the BayArena.
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A large number of sporting directors and officials from big clubs across Europe came to the BayArena on Tuesday for the second seminar in the UEFA Sporting Director Programme (SDP) in cooperation with the ECA.
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Full-back Janou Levels will leave Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the end of the season. The 24-year-old has activated her release clause and she will join Bundesliga rivals VfL Wolfsburg. She has signed a three-year contract.
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After returning from Hamburg and a day off on Easter Monday, the Werkself players were back on the training ground at the BayArena on Tuesday morning. Following the session, Amine Adli was very positive in a media interview about the remaining four matches including the forthcoming home game against FC Augsburg (Saturday, 26 April, 15:30 CEST): "We will give our all to end the season as well as we can!"
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