Xabi Alonso shot the ball across the field with great satisfaction and technical perfection, colleague Steffen Baumgart accepted the final whistle and the end of Leverkusen’s lesson almost motionless. The Bayer team goes into the international break as the Bundesliga leaders, while 1. FC Cologne comes in last. In the 3-0 (2-0) win in front of their home crowd on Sunday, the works team showed some exhilarating football again and were able to celebrate their sixth win in their seventh league game.
The reward: Bayer moved past VfB Stuttgart back into first place. “It’s not just beautiful football,” said Granit “It’s fun to be able to play with this team.”
Cologne slipped into last place for the first time after this matchday with just one point because Mainz scored in the 2-2 draw in Gladbach on Friday. The Gladbachers are the first opponent after the break in the already more emotional derby for the Cologne team on October 22nd.
“We played against a very good opponent,” said Cologne captain Florian Kainz: “Very disappointing, invested a lot, and yet a clear defeat.” Of course the situation was difficult. “We can’t let our heads down.”
Clear signs
Former Gladbacher Jonas Hofmann gave Leverkusen the lead (22nd minute). Jeremie Frimpong added at the end of a perfect week for him, including a contract extension, national team nomination in the Netherlands and a European Cup goal (32nd). Victor Boniface made the final score with his seventh goal of the season (67th). But the victory could have been even higher.
Alonso had the same starting eleven in his seventh league game for the sixth time. Robert Andrich, who was traveling to the national team for the first time and whose appearance in the 2-2 draw at FC Bayern was the only change this season, was initially back on the bench. Eric Martel returned to FC after missing three games due to Achilles tendon problems. Frankfurt loanee Faride Alidou made his starting eleven debut for Linton Maina, who was missing due to injury.
The signs before kick-off were clear: Leverkusen were unbeaten, had the best start to the season in the club’s history and had the best offense in the league. Cologne were winless, had their worst start to the season and had the weakest offense.
An outstanding move
But coach Steffen Baumgart had promised “full throttle” and also set this example tactically with a six and a double leadership. FC was initially good in the game and courageous. But Bayer was always dangerous there. After 39 seconds, Florian Wirtz, who trained at Cologne, had the first chance, but Marvin Schwäbe saved his shot from 18 meters.
Against Victor Boniface (13th) and again Wirtz (18th), Schwäbe needed brilliant saves to prevent the score being 0-1. The hosts gained more and more control and became more dangerous. It happened in the 22nd minute when Hofmann completed an outstanding move over Boniface and Victor Grimaldo after a backheel from Wirtz.
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The Cologne team claimed to have seen a handball from Boniface beforehand, Baumgart complained so badly that he was shown a yellow card. Colleague Alonso also got it later.
Now Cologne’s heads sank, but Leverkusen got security and got drunk on the combination game. After a cross from the extremely strong Grimaldo, Frimpong made it 2-0 at the far post. Schwäbe again held on to an artificial shot from Grimaldo (35′).
FC had its best chances in stoppage time in the first half: Jonathan Tah successfully deflected a shot from Davie Selke, who scored both of Cologne’s goals in the 2-1 win in May. After the following corner, Martel was denied head and foot by Leverkusen keeper Lukas Hradecky. After the break, Schwäbe initially prevented Frimpong from making it 0-3 (54′). But Boniface still managed to score after Hofmann put the ball away.
