Bayern Munich were held to a 2-2 draw at Freiburg on Friday, an 87th-minute equaliser from Lucas Hoeler giving leaders Bayer Leverkusen a chance to go 10 points clear.

Mathys Tel's 35th-minute stunner had cancelled out an impressive opener from Freiburg captain Christian Guenter, before Jamal Musiala's spectacular solo effort looked to have snared the three points for Bayern.&nbsp;

Hoeler however had other ideas, chipping a volley through a crowded Bayern penalty area and past a helpless Manuel Neuer.&nbsp;

Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel criticised his players' "body language and lack of bite" in the first half an hour, telling DAZN "we played completely without structure and had no discipline and weren't in our positions."

Calling his side "panicky", Tuchel said: "We did things that we've never trained, that we've never spoken about.

"We played like it was the 85th minute and we were a goal down."

Musiala told DAZN he felt "frustrated".

"Since I've been at Bayern it's been in my head that we must win and we hate to lose. &nbsp;We want to win the Bundesliga, we want to win titles," he said.

Bayern have now failed to win away from home in four matches dating back to January in both the Bundesliga and Champions League.&nbsp;

Tuchel's side face Lazio at home in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday, staring down an early exit with a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in Rome.

<h2>Simply instinct</h2>

Xabi Alonso's unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen can go 10 points clear of the Bavarians with a win against lowly Cologne in their derby clash on Sunday as they chase a first-ever Bundesliga title.

"We played a good game" Freiburg's Vincenzo Grifo told DAZN. "It's clear that you have to suffer against Bayern."

Guenter blasted the hosts into the lead after 12 minutes, unleashing a spinning rocket from outside the box and into the bottom right of the goal.&nbsp;

The goal was the Freiburg captain's first of the season and the club's only strike from outside the box this campaign.&nbsp;

Not content to allow Guenter to dominate the highlights reel, Tel hit back with a dream goal of his own, curling in a long-range effort on his second league start this season.

With 15 minutes remaining, and Bayern dominating possession but failing to carve out clear chances, Musiala dribbled past three Freiburg defenders and blasted a low shot into the right corner.

"Simply instinct" said Musiala of the goal. "You try and you dribble and see what you can create."

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Despite holding the lead Bayern grew passive, dropping deep to hold onto their slender lead.&nbsp;

With just three minutes of regular time remaining, Hoeler held off several Bayern defenders and chipped a volley over Neuer and into the goal.&nbsp;

The draw spoilt the first day at work for Bayern sporting director Max Eberl, who said during his unveiling this week the side would still push Leverkusen for the title.&nbsp;

The point sees Freiburg finish the night in ninth place in a crowded Bundesliga table, with only five points separating seventh and 15th places.

Bayern Munich were held to a 2-2 draw at Freiburg on Friday, an 87th-minute equaliser from Lucas Hoeler giving leaders Bayer Leverkusen a chance to go 10 points clear.

Bayern Munich were held to a 2-2 draw at Freiburg on Friday, an 87th-minute equaliser from Lucas Hoeler giving leaders Bayer Leverkusen a chance to go 10 points clear. Mathys Tel's 35th-minute stunner had cancelled out an impressive opener from Freiburg captain Christian Guenter, before Jamal Musiala's spectacular solo effort looked to have snared the three points for Bayern. Hoeler however had other ideas, chipping a volley through a crowded Bayern penalty area and past a helpless Manuel Neuer. Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel criticised his players' "body language and lack of bite" in the first half an hour, telling DAZN "we played completely without structure and had no discipline and weren't in our positions." Calling his side "panicky", Tuchel said: "We did things that we've never trained, that we've never spoken about. "We played like it was the 85th minute and we were a goal down." Musiala told DAZN he felt "frustrated". "Since I've been at Bayern it's been in my head that we must win and we hate to lose. We want to win the Bundesliga, we want to win titles," he said. Bayern have now failed to win away from home in four matches dating back to January in both the Bundesliga and Champions League. Tuchel's side face Lazio at home in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday, staring down an early exit with a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in Rome. Simply instinct Xabi Alonso's unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen can go 10 points clear of the Bavarians with a win against lowly Cologne in their derby clash on Sunday as they chase a first-ever Bundesliga title. "We played a good game" Freiburg's Vincenzo Grifo told DAZN. "It's clear that you have to suffer against Bayern." Guenter blasted the hosts into the lead after 12 minutes, unleashing a spinning rocket from outside the box and into the bottom right of the goal. The goal was the Freiburg captain's first of the season and the club's only strike from outside the box this campaign. Not content to allow Guenter to dominate the highlights reel, Tel hit back with a dream goal of his own, curling in a long-range effort on his second league start this season. With 15 minutes remaining, and Bayern dominating possession but failing to carve out clear chances, Musiala dribbled past three Freiburg defenders and blasted a low shot into the right corner. "Simply instinct" said Musiala of the goal. "You try and you dribble and see what you can create." ALSO READ | Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan likely to get contracts on THIS condition, says BCCI source Despite holding the lead Bayern grew passive, dropping deep to hold onto their slender lead. With just three minutes of regular time remaining, Hoeler held off several Bayern defenders and chipped a volley over Neuer and into the goal. The draw spoilt the first day at work for Bayern sporting director Max Eberl, who said during his unveiling this week the side would still push Leverkusen for the title. The point sees Freiburg finish the night in ninth place in a crowded Bundesliga table, with only five points separating seventh and 15th places.

Bundesliga: Bayer Leverkusen handed title advantage as Bayern Munich drop points at Freiburg

Goals from Jeremie Frimpong and Amine Adli earned Leverkusen a 2-1 win at Heidenheim on Saturday, sending Xabi Alonso's Bundesliga leaders eight points clear of Bayern Munich in second.

Leverkusen's win extended their unbeaten run to 32 games this season, equalling the record set by Hansi Flick's Bayern across the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.&nbsp;

Frustrated by the resolute hosts early, Leverkusen eventually broke through right before half-time when Frimpong's deflected shot found the net.

Midfield maestro Florian Wirtz hit the crossbar late but helped seal the result shortly after, laying on a perfect pass for Adli to round the goalkeeper and score.&nbsp;

Heidenheim's Tim Kleindienst headed in a goal with three minutes remaining, the first time Leverkusen had conceded in six hours in the league.&nbsp;

"Altogether we did it very smartly, other than the late goal we conceded," Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka told Sky.&nbsp;

"The team is ripe. We showed again how dominant we can be."

Second-placed Bayern, thumped 3-0 by Leverkusen last week, can narrow the gap when they play on Sunday at Bochum.&nbsp;

Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund were held 1-1 at Wolfsburg, Yannick Gerhardt's second-half header cancelling out an early Niclas Fuellkrug goal.&nbsp;

Having absorbed some early pressure from the hosts, Dortmund scored after eight minutes, Fuellkrug kneeing in a rebound from a Marco Reus shot on the counter.&nbsp;

Gerhardt equalised after a long interruption due to fan protests against an investor deal for the Bundesliga, heading in from close range after a deflected clearance from the Dortmund defence.&nbsp;

The draw leaves Dortmund four clear of fifth-placed RB Leipzig, who host Borussia Moenchengladbach later on Saturday.&nbsp;

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"We didn't have enough chances on the whole," said Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.&nbsp;"We are not satisfied with the point."

Serhou Guirassy scored his first goal of the calendar year as 10-man Stuttgart won 2-1 at Darmstadt to go five clear of Dortmund in third.&nbsp;

Guirassy headed in from close range 15 minutes in for his 18th league goal of the season.&nbsp;

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Both sides scored in second-half injury time as Stuttgart held on despite being reduced to 10 men late in the first half.

Union Berlin secured a crucial victory in their bid to avoid the drop, American midfielder Brenden Aaronson scoring late for a 1-0 win at Hoffenheim.&nbsp;

Both sides played the second half with 10 men after Hoffenheim's Stanley Nsoki and Union's Kevin Volland picked up second yellow cards just before half-time.&nbsp;

Union's win took them eight points clear of the relegation spots in an increasingly crowded lower half of the table.&nbsp;

Mainz won just their second match of the season 1-0 at home over Augsburg, with Liverpool loanee Sepp van den Berg's first-half strike enough despite Nadiem Amiri missing a penalty.&nbsp;

Goals from Jeremie Frimpong and Amine Adli earned Leverkusen a 2-1 win at Heidenheim on Saturday, sending Xabi Alonso's Bundesliga leaders eight points clear of Bayern Munich in second.

Goals from Jeremie Frimpong and Amine Adli earned Leverkusen a 2-1 win at Heidenheim on Saturday, sending Xabi Alonso's Bundesliga leaders eight points clear of Bayern Munich in second. Leverkusen's win extended their unbeaten run to 32 games this season, equalling the record set by Hansi Flick's Bayern across the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. Frustrated by the resolute hosts early, Leverkusen eventually broke through right before half-time when Frimpong's deflected shot found the net. Midfield maestro Florian Wirtz hit the crossbar late but helped seal the result shortly after, laying on a perfect pass for Adli to round the goalkeeper and score. Heidenheim's Tim Kleindienst headed in a goal with three minutes remaining, the first time Leverkusen had conceded in six hours in the league. "Altogether we did it very smartly, other than the late goal we conceded," Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka told Sky. "The team is ripe. We showed again how dominant we can be." Second-placed Bayern, thumped 3-0 by Leverkusen last week, can narrow the gap when they play on Sunday at Bochum. Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund were held 1-1 at Wolfsburg, Yannick Gerhardt's second-half header cancelling out an early Niclas Fuellkrug goal. Having absorbed some early pressure from the hosts, Dortmund scored after eight minutes, Fuellkrug kneeing in a rebound from a Marco Reus shot on the counter. Gerhardt equalised after a long interruption due to fan protests against an investor deal for the Bundesliga, heading in from close range after a deflected clearance from the Dortmund defence. The draw leaves Dortmund four clear of fifth-placed RB Leipzig, who host Borussia Moenchengladbach later on Saturday. × "We didn't have enough chances on the whole," said Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. "We are not satisfied with the point." Serhou Guirassy scored his first goal of the calendar year as 10-man Stuttgart won 2-1 at Darmstadt to go five clear of Dortmund in third. Guirassy headed in from close range 15 minutes in for his 18th league goal of the season. ALSO READ | Rajkot Test, Day 3: India players wear black armband for THIS reason, Gavaskar says 'could've done it sooner' Both sides scored in second-half injury time as Stuttgart held on despite being reduced to 10 men late in the first half. Union Berlin secured a crucial victory in their bid to avoid the drop, American midfielder Brenden Aaronson scoring late for a 1-0 win at Hoffenheim. Both sides played the second half with 10 men after Hoffenheim's Stanley Nsoki and Union's Kevin Volland picked up second yellow cards just before half-time. Union's win took them eight points clear of the relegation spots in an increasingly crowded lower half of the table. Mainz won just their second match of the season 1-0 at home over Augsburg, with Liverpool loanee Sepp van den Berg's first-half strike enough despite Nadiem Amiri missing a penalty.

Bundesliga: Bayer Leverkusen beat Heidenheim to go eight clear, extend unbeaten run to 32 matches

Mitchell Weiser stunned his former club with the only goal as Werder Bremen defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 on Sunday, keeping Bayer Leverkusen seven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

Bayern were last held scoreless in the league in February 2020, when former Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann's Leipzig recorded a 0-0 draw at the Allianz Arena.&nbsp;

Bremen's victory, their first over Bayern in any competition since 2008, broke a 27-game winless run against the German champions, which included 26 losses.&nbsp;

Leverkusen's 3-2 win at RB Leipzig on Saturday, with Xabi Alonso's men coming from behind twice and scoring the winner in injury time, put the pressure back on Bayern, who went into Sunday's game with two games in hand.&nbsp;

Bremen were unlucky to have a goal struck off by VAR in the first-half for a foul on Jamal Musiala but Weiser took matters into his own hands in the second period, gliding down the right wing and blasting into the net after 59 minutes.&nbsp;

Bayern pinned Bremen in their own box after the opener but failed to break through.

Bremen travelled to Munich trying to overturn recent history, the visitors having not beaten Bayern in any competition in 16 years.&nbsp;

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On that day, a teenage Mesut Ozil ran riot, scoring one goal and assisting in two more in a 5-2 victory during happier times for the four-time Bundesliga winners.&nbsp;

Bremen started strongly, Weiser&nbsp;forcing a fingertip save from Manuel Neuer midway through the first-half.&nbsp;

Bremen's Justin Njinmah had the ball in the net after a lightning-fast counter attack, but the goal was struck off, with VAR finding a foul on Musiala at the other end of the pitch.&nbsp;

Bayern exited the pitch to a sprinkling of boos and whistles but the half-time break failed to revive the home side, with Bremen continuing to impress.&nbsp;

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Weiser, who spent three years at Bayern after arriving as an 18-year-old before leaving on a free transfer in 2015, gave the visitors the lead in impressive syle, dancing down the right flank and unleashing a rocket into the top of the net.&nbsp;

Bremen's win consigned the defending champions to their second league loss of the season.&nbsp;

Bayern can cut the gap at the top when they play their game in hand at home to Union Berlin on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Bremen's victory lifts them nine points clear of the relegation placings.&nbsp;

Later on Sunday, Borussia Moenchengladbach host Augsburg.&nbsp;

Mitchell Weiser stunned his former club with the only goal as Werder Bremen defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 on Sunday, keeping Bayer Leverkusen seven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

Mitchell Weiser stunned his former club with the only goal as Werder Bremen defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 on Sunday, keeping Bayer Leverkusen seven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga. Bayern were last held scoreless in the league in February 2020, when former Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann's Leipzig recorded a 0-0 draw at the Allianz Arena. Bremen's victory, their first over Bayern in any competition since 2008, broke a 27-game winless run against the German champions, which included 26 losses. Leverkusen's 3-2 win at RB Leipzig on Saturday, with Xabi Alonso's men coming from behind twice and scoring the winner in injury time, put the pressure back on Bayern, who went into Sunday's game with two games in hand. Bremen were unlucky to have a goal struck off by VAR in the first-half for a foul on Jamal Musiala but Weiser took matters into his own hands in the second period, gliding down the right wing and blasting into the net after 59 minutes. Bayern pinned Bremen in their own box after the opener but failed to break through. Bremen travelled to Munich trying to overturn recent history, the visitors having not beaten Bayern in any competition in 16 years. × On that day, a teenage Mesut Ozil ran riot, scoring one goal and assisting in two more in a 5-2 victory during happier times for the four-time Bundesliga winners. Bremen started strongly, Weiser forcing a fingertip save from Manuel Neuer midway through the first-half. Bremen's Justin Njinmah had the ball in the net after a lightning-fast counter attack, but the goal was struck off, with VAR finding a foul on Musiala at the other end of the pitch. Bayern exited the pitch to a sprinkling of boos and whistles but the half-time break failed to revive the home side, with Bremen continuing to impress. ALSO READ | England batter Harry Brook withdraws from upcoming India series, announces board Weiser, who spent three years at Bayern after arriving as an 18-year-old before leaving on a free transfer in 2015, gave the visitors the lead in impressive syle, dancing down the right flank and unleashing a rocket into the top of the net. Bremen's win consigned the defending champions to their second league loss of the season. Bayern can cut the gap at the top when they play their game in hand at home to Union Berlin on Wednesday. Bremen's victory lifts them nine points clear of the relegation placings. Later on Sunday, Borussia Moenchengladbach host Augsburg.

Bundesliga: Advantage Bayer Leverkusen after Werder Bremen snap 16-year wait for win over Bayern

Exequiel Palacios scored in the fourth minute of injury time to earn Bayer Leverkusen a 1-0 win at Augsburg, keeping them four points clear of chasers Bayern Munich.

Bayern's 3-0 home win over Hoffenheim on Friday turned up the heat on leaders Leverkusen.&nbsp;

The visitors looked set to drop points for just the fourth time this season, but the Argentinian world champion volleyed the ball in with almost the last kick of the game from an Alex Grimaldo cross.

The goal may prove crucial in the title race as Leverkusen restored their four-point lead atop the table, with second-placed Bayern having a game in hand.

On the first weekend of fixtures since Franz Beckenbauer died aged 78, each match began after a moment of silence and a tribute to the German football legend.&nbsp;

Leverkusen looked slick early, carving out several chances as they dominated possession, but lacked the final killer blow without injured striker Victor Boniface.&nbsp;

Augsburg looked to have taken the lead through Phillip Tietz with 20 minutes remaining, but the striker's goal was flagged for offside.&nbsp;

Grimaldo found Palacios in the final minute of injury time, the midfielder slamming a perfect shot into the goal before being embraced by his elated teammates.&nbsp;

Elsewhere, Eintracht Frankfurt won 1-0 at RB Leipzig to leapfrog Borussia Dortmund into fifth place.&nbsp;

Frankfurt took the lead just seven minutes in, Ansgar Knauff slamming a brilliant curved pass from Niels Nkounkou into the net.&nbsp;

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Leipzig pushed for an equaliser but Frankfurt held on, consigning the German Cup holders to their first home loss of the season.

Union Berlin held Freiburg to a scoreless draw away, continuing their solid if unspectacular form under new manager Nenad Bjelica.&nbsp;

Union had lost nine league games in a row prior to the Croat's arrival, but have now lost just one in four to stay one spot clear of the relegation spots.

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Cologne missed a chance to move out of the automatic relegation places, conceding a second-half goal to draw 1-1 with promoted Heidenheim.

Strugglers Mainz fought from a goal down to draw 1-1 at home with Wolfsburg, picking up a valuable point to keep them above the relegation spots.&nbsp;

Later on Saturday, Borussia Dortmund can take advantage of Leipzig's loss by moving to within three points of fourth place with a win at last-placed Darmstadt. &nbsp;

England winger Jadon Sancho in line to play for the visitors for the first time since 2021, having returned this week on a six-month loan from Manchester United.&nbsp;

Exequiel Palacios scored in the fourth minute of injury time to earn Bayer Leverkusen a 1-0 win at Augsburg, keeping them four points clear of chasers Bayern Munich.

Exequiel Palacios scored in the fourth minute of injury time to earn Bayer Leverkusen a 1-0 win at Augsburg, keeping them four points clear of chasers Bayern Munich. Bayern's 3-0 home win over Hoffenheim on Friday turned up the heat on leaders Leverkusen. The visitors looked set to drop points for just the fourth time this season, but the Argentinian world champion volleyed the ball in with almost the last kick of the game from an Alex Grimaldo cross. The goal may prove crucial in the title race as Leverkusen restored their four-point lead atop the table, with second-placed Bayern having a game in hand. On the first weekend of fixtures since Franz Beckenbauer died aged 78, each match began after a moment of silence and a tribute to the German football legend. Leverkusen looked slick early, carving out several chances as they dominated possession, but lacked the final killer blow without injured striker Victor Boniface. Augsburg looked to have taken the lead through Phillip Tietz with 20 minutes remaining, but the striker's goal was flagged for offside. Grimaldo found Palacios in the final minute of injury time, the midfielder slamming a perfect shot into the goal before being embraced by his elated teammates. Elsewhere, Eintracht Frankfurt won 1-0 at RB Leipzig to leapfrog Borussia Dortmund into fifth place. Frankfurt took the lead just seven minutes in, Ansgar Knauff slamming a brilliant curved pass from Niels Nkounkou into the net. Leipzig pushed for an equaliser but Frankfurt held on, consigning the German Cup holders to their first home loss of the season. Union Berlin held Freiburg to a scoreless draw away, continuing their solid if unspectacular form under new manager Nenad Bjelica. Union had lost nine league games in a row prior to the Croat's arrival, but have now lost just one in four to stay one spot clear of the relegation spots. ALSO READ | Former SA all-rounder, once most expensive IPL buy, opines on Cummins & Starc's big money in 2023 auction Cologne missed a chance to move out of the automatic relegation places, conceding a second-half goal to draw 1-1 with promoted Heidenheim. Strugglers Mainz fought from a goal down to draw 1-1 at home with Wolfsburg, picking up a valuable point to keep them above the relegation spots. Later on Saturday, Borussia Dortmund can take advantage of Leipzig's loss by moving to within three points of fourth place with a win at last-placed Darmstadt. England winger Jadon Sancho in line to play for the visitors for the first time since 2021, having returned this week on a six-month loan from Manchester United.

Football: Exequiel Palacios scores late winner for Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen

Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen equalled the best start to a Bundesliga season in history as they returned to the top of the table with a dominant 4-0 home win over Union Berlin on Sunday.&nbsp;

The victory means Leverkusen have collected 31 of a possible 33 points after 11 matches, equal to the record set by Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich in 2015-16.&nbsp;

Bayern's 4-2 victory over Heidenheim saw the Bavarians spend Saturday night atop the standings but Alonso's men were dominant on Sunday, winning with goals from Alex Grimaldo, Odilon Kossounou, Jonathan Tah and Nathan Tella.

Leverkusen defender Florian Wirtz cut holes in the Union defence early but striker Victor Boniface was off target, blasting wide twice in the opening minutes.&nbsp;

The home side hit the lead after 24 minutes, Grimaldo stopping on the edge of the box before chipping a dipping shot over Union goalie Frederik Ronnow.&nbsp;

Grimaldo, 28, who was called up to the Spain squad for the first time this week, has six goals in the league since moving from Benfica in the summer.&nbsp;

Union lost centre-back Leonardo Bonucci to injury early and struggled to contain the home side's quick passing, a wide-open Boniface heading directly at Ronnow late in the first half.&nbsp;

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Kossounou headed in a Jonas Hofmann corner midway through the second-half to double the home side's lead. It was the Ivorian's goal for Leverkusen in his third season at the club.&nbsp;

Germany centre-back Tah hammered in a corner with just over 15 minutes remaining.&nbsp;

Tella scored two minutes after coming on, the English winger finishing a length-of-the-field attack for his side's fourth.&nbsp;

Leverkusen have now won 16 and drawn one of 17 games in all competitions this season.&nbsp;

Union Berlin, who finished fourth to qualify for the Champions League last season, finish the weekend second from bottom, having lost their last nine in a row.&nbsp;

Later on Sunday, Eintracht Frankfurt take on Werder Bremen while RB Leipzig host Freiburg.&nbsp;

Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen equalled the best start to a Bundesliga season in history as they returned to the top of the table with a dominant 4-0 home win over Union Berlin on Sunday.

Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen equalled the best start to a Bundesliga season in history as they returned to the top of the table with a dominant 4-0 home win over Union Berlin on Sunday. The victory means Leverkusen have collected 31 of a possible 33 points after 11 matches, equal to the record set by Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich in 2015-16. Bayern's 4-2 victory over Heidenheim saw the Bavarians spend Saturday night atop the standings but Alonso's men were dominant on Sunday, winning with goals from Alex Grimaldo, Odilon Kossounou, Jonathan Tah and Nathan Tella. Leverkusen defender Florian Wirtz cut holes in the Union defence early but striker Victor Boniface was off target, blasting wide twice in the opening minutes. The home side hit the lead after 24 minutes, Grimaldo stopping on the edge of the box before chipping a dipping shot over Union goalie Frederik Ronnow. Grimaldo, 28, who was called up to the Spain squad for the first time this week, has six goals in the league since moving from Benfica in the summer. Union lost centre-back Leonardo Bonucci to injury early and struggled to contain the home side's quick passing, a wide-open Boniface heading directly at Ronnow late in the first half. ALSO READ | ODI World Cup 2023: England skipper Jos Buttler refutes HUGE CLEAROUT despite awful campaign Kossounou headed in a Jonas Hofmann corner midway through the second-half to double the home side's lead. It was the Ivorian's goal for Leverkusen in his third season at the club. Germany centre-back Tah hammered in a corner with just over 15 minutes remaining. Tella scored two minutes after coming on, the English winger finishing a length-of-the-field attack for his side's fourth. Leverkusen have now won 16 and drawn one of 17 games in all competitions this season. Union Berlin, who finished fourth to qualify for the Champions League last season, finish the weekend second from bottom, having lost their last nine in a row. Later on Sunday, Eintracht Frankfurt take on Werder Bremen while RB Leipzig host Freiburg.

Football: Bayer Leverkusen beat Union to go top and equal best-ever Bundesliga start

Nigeria striker Victor Boniface scored in each half to help Bayer Leverkusen to a 5-1 victory over promoted Darmstadt on Saturday, sending his side top of the Bundesliga.

Boniface, 22, who arrived from Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer, opened the scoring with a superb solo effort, slicing through the Darmstadt defence before elegantly chipping the goalkeeper.&nbsp;

Yet to claim a point in two matches after returning to the top division this season, Darmstadt equalised shortly after, Oscar Vilhelmsson tapping in from close range.&nbsp;

Argentina World Cup winner Exequiel&nbsp;Palacios scored straight after half-time, his shot taking two fortunate deflections on the way to goal.&nbsp;

Leverkusen then put the game to bed with two goals in six minutes -- another for Boniface and one for Germany winger Jonas Hofmann, his first for his new club since moving from Borussia Moenchengladbach.&nbsp;

A late Adam Hlozek goal sealed the clinical victory, which continues Leverkusen's stunning form under manager Xabi Alonso, who took over in October 2022.

After the match, Alonso said the victory was "important for the team, for Boniface, for Jonas and also for me".&nbsp;

"We want to build on that but also stay focused."

Leverkusen's next match after the international break is at Bayern Munich.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/javelin-champion-neeraj-chopra-eyes-gold-in-diamond-league-and-asian-games-but-staying-fit-remains-priority-631594">Neeraj Chopra eyes gold in Diamond League final and Asian Games but staying fit remains priority</a>

In Saturday's late game, Bayern can overtake Leverkusen with a win at bogey side Borussia Moenchengladbach.&nbsp;

Stuttgart continued their good early season home form, beating local rivals Freiburg 5-0, the same scoreline as their opening win over Bochum.

Chris Fuehrich and Serhou Guirassy bagged doubles and Enzo Millot scored a late goal, helping Stuttgart rebound from last week's 5-1 thrashing by Leipzig.&nbsp;

Guirassy now has five goals in three games for a side which needed to win a two-legged playoff against second-division Hamburg last season to avoid relegation.&nbsp;

Elsewhere, Werder Bremen put the departure of star striker Niclas Fuellkrug behind them, putting four goals past a hapless and scoreless Mainz at home.&nbsp;

Goalless in their opening two games, Bremen had four different players on the scoresheet as they claimed their first points of the season.&nbsp;

Hoffenheim came from behind to beat Wolfsburg 3-1 at home, John Brooks, Maximilian Beier and Robert Skov getting on the scoresheet after visiting striker Tiago Tomas opened the scoring.&nbsp;

In central Bavaria, Augsburg led twice but were pegged back both times by goals from Bochum's Takuma Asano as the sides played out a 2-2 draw.

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Nigeria striker Victor Boniface scored in each half to help Bayer Leverkusen to a 5-1 victory over promoted Darmstadt on Saturday, sending his side top of the Bundesliga.

Nigeria striker Victor Boniface scored in each half to help Bayer Leverkusen to a 5-1 victory over promoted Darmstadt on Saturday, sending his side top of the Bundesliga. Boniface, 22, who arrived from Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer, opened the scoring with a superb solo effort, slicing through the Darmstadt defence before elegantly chipping the goalkeeper. Yet to claim a point in two matches after returning to the top division this season, Darmstadt equalised shortly after, Oscar Vilhelmsson tapping in from close range. Argentina World Cup winner Exequiel Palacios scored straight after half-time, his shot taking two fortunate deflections on the way to goal. Leverkusen then put the game to bed with two goals in six minutes -- another for Boniface and one for Germany winger Jonas Hofmann, his first for his new club since moving from Borussia Moenchengladbach. A late Adam Hlozek goal sealed the clinical victory, which continues Leverkusen's stunning form under manager Xabi Alonso, who took over in October 2022. After the match, Alonso said the victory was "important for the team, for Boniface, for Jonas and also for me". "We want to build on that but also stay focused." Leverkusen's next match after the international break is at Bayern Munich. ALSO READ | Neeraj Chopra eyes gold in Diamond League final and Asian Games but staying fit remains priority In Saturday's late game, Bayern can overtake Leverkusen with a win at bogey side Borussia Moenchengladbach. Stuttgart continued their good early season home form, beating local rivals Freiburg 5-0, the same scoreline as their opening win over Bochum. Chris Fuehrich and Serhou Guirassy bagged doubles and Enzo Millot scored a late goal, helping Stuttgart rebound from last week's 5-1 thrashing by Leipzig. Guirassy now has five goals in three games for a side which needed to win a two-legged playoff against second-division Hamburg last season to avoid relegation. Elsewhere, Werder Bremen put the departure of star striker Niclas Fuellkrug behind them, putting four goals past a hapless and scoreless Mainz at home. Goalless in their opening two games, Bremen had four different players on the scoresheet as they claimed their first points of the season. Hoffenheim came from behind to beat Wolfsburg 3-1 at home, John Brooks, Maximilian Beier and Robert Skov getting on the scoresheet after visiting striker Tiago Tomas opened the scoring. In central Bavaria, Augsburg led twice but were pegged back both times by goals from Bochum's Takuma Asano as the sides played out a 2-2 draw. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Football: Victor Boniface double pushes Leverkusen to top of Bundesliga

AS Roma earned a 0-0 draw at Bayer Leverkusen in their Europa League semi-final return leg on Thursday to reach the showpiece match with a 1-0 aggregate win. The Rome side have now reached back-to-back European finals under coach Jose Mourinho following last season's Europa Conference League title.

The visitors were on the backfoot for the entire game and had to survive intense pressure from the Germans, who missed a lot of chances and also hit the woodwork, as they advanced thanks to last week's 1-0 win in Italy.

They will play Sevilla in the final on May 31 in Budapest.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/europa-league-semis-sevilla-beat-italian-giants-juventus-to-setup-summit-clash-with-as-roma-593896">Europa League semis: Sevilla beat Italian giants Juventus to setup summit clash with AS Roma</a>

"This match is the result of our work, tactical wisdom, experience, knowing how to stay in matches and trying to hide our problems," said Mourinho. "These guys deserve something special. My concern was always to reach the final, it will be very hard with the experience of Sevilla but we'll think about it later".

Yet it all started well for Leverkusen, looking to reach their first European final in 21 years.

Apart from a second minute chance for Roma's Lorenzo Pellegrini, the hosts had the upper hand in the first half with a dozen efforts on goal compared to their opponents' one.

Moussa Diaby rattled the crossbar with a powerful shot in the 12th minute and Kerem Demirbay's low drive in the 21st was saved by goalkeeper Rui Patricio.

The visitors tried to push up a bit higher in the second half to intercept Leverkusen's attacks earlier but the hosts kept finding ways to create chances.

Demirbay forced another good save in the 67th from Patricio, who thought he was beaten by Sardar Azmoun minutes later only for the Iranian's shot to sail just wide.

Leverkusen, whose last major title dates back to 1993, had 23 efforts on goal but it was Mourinho's Roma that went through even if they had just the one effort on goal in the entire game.

"The boys gave it all until the end," Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said. "We did everything we could, created lots of chances, had many shots on goal but just could not score."

"It was small details. We played our game, tried our best until the end and wanted to score. It is sad we did not."

AS Roma earned a 0-0 draw at Bayer Leverkusen in their Europa League semi-final return leg on Thursday to reach the showpiece match with a 1-0 aggregate win. The Rome side have now reached back-to-back European finals under coach Jose Mourinho following last season's Europa Conference League title.

AS Roma earned a 0-0 draw at Bayer Leverkusen in their Europa League semi-final return leg on Thursday to reach the showpiece match with a 1-0 aggregate win. The Rome side have now reached back-to-back European finals under coach Jose Mourinho following last season's Europa Conference League title. The visitors were on the backfoot for the entire game and had to survive intense pressure from the Germans, who missed a lot of chances and also hit the woodwork, as they advanced thanks to last week's 1-0 win in Italy. They will play Sevilla in the final on May 31 in Budapest. ALSO READ: Europa League semis: Sevilla beat Italian giants Juventus to setup summit clash with AS Roma "This match is the result of our work, tactical wisdom, experience, knowing how to stay in matches and trying to hide our problems," said Mourinho. "These guys deserve something special. My concern was always to reach the final, it will be very hard with the experience of Sevilla but we'll think about it later". Yet it all started well for Leverkusen, looking to reach their first European final in 21 years. Apart from a second minute chance for Roma's Lorenzo Pellegrini, the hosts had the upper hand in the first half with a dozen efforts on goal compared to their opponents' one. Moussa Diaby rattled the crossbar with a powerful shot in the 12th minute and Kerem Demirbay's low drive in the 21st was saved by goalkeeper Rui Patricio. The visitors tried to push up a bit higher in the second half to intercept Leverkusen's attacks earlier but the hosts kept finding ways to create chances. Demirbay forced another good save in the 67th from Patricio, who thought he was beaten by Sardar Azmoun minutes later only for the Iranian's shot to sail just wide. Leverkusen, whose last major title dates back to 1993, had 23 efforts on goal but it was Mourinho's Roma that went through even if they had just the one effort on goal in the entire game. "The boys gave it all until the end," Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said. "We did everything we could, created lots of chances, had many shots on goal but just could not score." "It was small details. We played our game, tried our best until the end and wanted to score. It is sad we did not."

Jose Mourinho's AS Roma reach successive Europa League final following goalless draw against Bayer Leverkusen

Juventus and Sevilla will go head-to-head in the second leg of the Europa League on Thursday, May 18 evening as they meet at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium. With the affairs at 1-1, both teams will stand an equal chance of making it to the final at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on 31st May. On the other hand, current Europa Conference League holders AS Roma will take on German powerhouse Bayer Leverkusen where the Italian side will come with a 1-0 advantage.

<h2>Sevilla eye another glory</h2>

If Sevilla can win the competition this year it will be their seventh title in the competition since the turn of the millennium. The incentive added for them will be the fact that they will have to win the competition to reach the Champions League next term. José Luis Mendilibar’s side has endured a poor campaign in the league but could yet make the campaign successful if they land the European glory which remains the back door to European football for them next season.

On the flip side, Juventus ‘possible 15-point suspended point dedication can yet prompt them from missing out on Europe altogether and will target the Europa League glory to reach the elites. As things stand Massimiliano Allegri’s side is third in the league and were lucky to have come up with a draw in the first leg.

<h2>Team News</h2>

Sevilla will miss the services of Suso, Joan Jordan and Marcao, who all are out due to various injury issues while they will bring back cup goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. Argentine, Lucas Ocampos is also expected to be back in the fold having faced a muscle issue in the first leg. Youssef En-Nesyri should also come back in the team having had a stellar 2023 for the side.

Paul Pogba who recently returned to action last week will once again be on the casualty list after going off injured in the 24th minute over the weekend. Mattia De Sciglio and captain Leonardo Bonucci are also out of commission.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-faf-du-plessis-praises-passionate-kohli-says-playing-with-him-is-better-than-playing-against-him-593606">IPL 2023: Faf du Plessis praises passionate Kohli, says playing with him is better than being in opposite team</a>

In the other semifinal, Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen will take on Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma with both teams’ European qualification for hanging in balance in the league. Roma will carry a 1-0 lead from the first leg where Edoardo Bove scored the only goal of the contest.

<h2>Sevilla possible starting lineup:</h2>

Bounou; Navas, Gudelj, Bade, Acuna; Fernando, Rakitic; Ocampos, Lamela, Gil; En-Nesyri

<h2>Juventus possible starting lineup:</h2>

Szczesny; Danilo, Gatti, Sandro; Cuadrado, Fagioli, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Di Maria; Vlahovic

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Juventus and Sevilla will go head-to-head in the second leg of the Europa League on Thursday, May 18 evening as they meet at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium. With the affairs at 1-1, both teams will stand an equal chance of making it to the final at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on 31st May.

Juventus and Sevilla will go head-to-head in the second leg of the Europa League on Thursday, May 18 evening as they meet at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium. With the affairs at 1-1, both teams will stand an equal chance of making it to the final at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on 31st May. On the other hand, current Europa Conference League holders AS Roma will take on German powerhouse Bayer Leverkusen where the Italian side will come with a 1-0 advantage. Sevilla eye another glory If Sevilla can win the competition this year it will be their seventh title in the competition since the turn of the millennium. The incentive added for them will be the fact that they will have to win the competition to reach the Champions League next term. José Luis Mendilibar’s side has endured a poor campaign in the league but could yet make the campaign successful if they land the European glory which remains the back door to European football for them next season. On the flip side, Juventus ‘possible 15-point suspended point dedication can yet prompt them from missing out on Europe altogether and will target the Europa League glory to reach the elites. As things stand Massimiliano Allegri’s side is third in the league and were lucky to have come up with a draw in the first leg. Team News Sevilla will miss the services of Suso, Joan Jordan and Marcao, who all are out due to various injury issues while they will bring back cup goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. Argentine, Lucas Ocampos is also expected to be back in the fold having faced a muscle issue in the first leg. Youssef En-Nesyri should also come back in the team having had a stellar 2023 for the side. Paul Pogba who recently returned to action last week will once again be on the casualty list after going off injured in the 24th minute over the weekend. Mattia De Sciglio and captain Leonardo Bonucci are also out of commission. ALSO READ | IPL 2023: Faf du Plessis praises passionate Kohli, says playing with him is better than being in opposite team In the other semifinal, Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen will take on Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma with both teams’ European qualification for hanging in balance in the league. Roma will carry a 1-0 lead from the first leg where Edoardo Bove scored the only goal of the contest. Sevilla possible starting lineup: Bounou; Navas, Gudelj, Bade, Acuna; Fernando, Rakitic; Ocampos, Lamela, Gil; En-Nesyri Juventus possible starting lineup: Szczesny; Danilo, Gatti, Sandro; Cuadrado, Fagioli, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Di Maria; Vlahovic WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Europa League: Sevilla eye final berth as Juventus stand in way; Leverkusen host Roma in other SF

Edoardo Bove fired Roma to a 1-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in a tight first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday. Bove scored the only goal of the game in the 63rd minute at the Stadio Olimpico, allowing Jose Mourinho's side to take a slender lead into next week's second leg in Germany. The win gives Mourinho the chance to reach his second European final in as many years as Roma coach after winning the Europa Conference League last season.

"It's all down to the boys tonight who played with desire and the right mentality," Mourinho said to Sky Sport. "I have put in a lot of miles over the course of my career but even I really felt the support of the fans tonight and the boys responded with the desire to make them happy."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-upbeat-stefanos-tsitsipas-eyes-maiden-french-open-crown-remains-wary-of-star-studded-peers-591506">EXCLUSIVE: Upbeat Stefanos Tsitsipas eyes maiden French Open crown, remains wary of star-studded peers</a>

Roma took the win despite having a host of players either out or barely fit to play, with stars Paulo Dybala and Georginio Wijnaldum only coming on in the final 15 minutes to help out an exhausted, largely second-string team.

"Roma were a bit more dangerous in the second half, but we had the feeling that we could beat them in their own backyard," said Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky. "It's not the best result for us but it could have been worse."

- Battling Roma -

A turgid first half had little in the way of goalmouth incident, with each team having one good opportunity each. First Florian Wirtz shot a very presentable chance just wide in the seventh minute after exchanging passes with Adam Hlozek on the edge of the penalty area.

But it was Roma who were wondering how they didn't open the scoring 12 minutes later when Roger Ibanez's header from a Lorenzo Pellegrini free-kick was well-saved by Hradecky. And Tammy Abraham failed to tap in from the rebound, leaving the home fans open-mouthed at the latest blunder from their misfiring English striker.

Very little happened between then and when Roma took the lead just after the hour mark, youth product Bove causing an eruption in the stands which up to that point had looked almost impossible.

Bove started the move which led to the goal, charging forward before feeding Abraham whose spin and shot led to the ball falling to the young midfielder, who lashed in the opener.

From there Roma retreated back into their defensive shell, thinking they could hold off Leverkusen.

However, they survived a huge scare with three minutes remaining when goalkeeper Rui Patricio and Ibanez ran into one another while trying to clear Wirtz's cross.

The ball dropped for Jeremie Frimpong but the Dutch forward could only fire his shot into Bryan Cristante.

A cascade of whistles came from the stands as fans begged referee Michael Oliver to blow his whistle.

When the Englishman duly obliged, both sides were left still in the running to face either Sevilla or Juventus in the Budapest final.

Edoardo Bove fired Roma to a 1-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in a tight first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday. Bove scored the only goal of the game in the 63rd minute at the Stadio Olimpico, allowing Jose Mourinho's side to take a slender lead into next week's second leg in Germany.

Edoardo Bove fired Roma to a 1-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in a tight first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday. Bove scored the only goal of the game in the 63rd minute at the Stadio Olimpico, allowing Jose Mourinho's side to take a slender lead into next week's second leg in Germany. The win gives Mourinho the chance to reach his second European final in as many years as Roma coach after winning the Europa Conference League last season. "It's all down to the boys tonight who played with desire and the right mentality," Mourinho said to Sky Sport. "I have put in a lot of miles over the course of my career but even I really felt the support of the fans tonight and the boys responded with the desire to make them happy." ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Upbeat Stefanos Tsitsipas eyes maiden French Open crown, remains wary of star-studded peers Roma took the win despite having a host of players either out or barely fit to play, with stars Paulo Dybala and Georginio Wijnaldum only coming on in the final 15 minutes to help out an exhausted, largely second-string team. "Roma were a bit more dangerous in the second half, but we had the feeling that we could beat them in their own backyard," said Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky. "It's not the best result for us but it could have been worse." - Battling Roma - A turgid first half had little in the way of goalmouth incident, with each team having one good opportunity each. First Florian Wirtz shot a very presentable chance just wide in the seventh minute after exchanging passes with Adam Hlozek on the edge of the penalty area. But it was Roma who were wondering how they didn't open the scoring 12 minutes later when Roger Ibanez's header from a Lorenzo Pellegrini free-kick was well-saved by Hradecky. And Tammy Abraham failed to tap in from the rebound, leaving the home fans open-mouthed at the latest blunder from their misfiring English striker. Very little happened between then and when Roma took the lead just after the hour mark, youth product Bove causing an eruption in the stands which up to that point had looked almost impossible. Bove started the move which led to the goal, charging forward before feeding Abraham whose spin and shot led to the ball falling to the young midfielder, who lashed in the opener. From there Roma retreated back into their defensive shell, thinking they could hold off Leverkusen. However, they survived a huge scare with three minutes remaining when goalkeeper Rui Patricio and Ibanez ran into one another while trying to clear Wirtz's cross. The ball dropped for Jeremie Frimpong but the Dutch forward could only fire his shot into Bryan Cristante. A cascade of whistles came from the stands as fans begged referee Michael Oliver to blow his whistle. When the Englishman duly obliged, both sides were left still in the running to face either Sevilla or Juventus in the Budapest final.

Europa League Semifinal: AS Roma beat Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 in tight first leg

Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller scored a costly own goal as the Bundesliga leaders were held 1-1 at home to third-placed Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.

Bayern took an 18th-minute lead when defender Niklas Sule pounced on a loose ball to score after two botched clearances following a dangerous corner from Joshua Kimmich.

Leverkusen levelled in the 36th with a fortuitous goal, Muller flummoxing his own goalkeeper Sven Ulreich and turning a free-kick from Kerem Demirbay into his own net.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chelsea-supporters-chant-roman-abramovichs-name-to-interrupt-ukraine-solidarity-gesture-459377">Chelsea supporters chant Roman Abramovich's name to interrupt Ukraine solidarity gesture</a>

It was the first time Bayern had drawn a match in the league since the opening day of the season in August when they were held 1-1 at Borussia Moenchengladbach and was also their first draw in the league at home.

Bayern are still well in charge of the German title race with 59 points after 25 matches although the result will give a glimmer of hope to chasing Borussia

Dortmund, who are second on 50 points but have a game in hand.

Leverkusen stayed third on 45 points.

Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller scored a costly own goal as the Bundesliga leaders were held 1-1 at home to third-placed Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. Bayern took an 18th-minute lead when defender Niklas Sule pounced on a loose ball to score after two botched clearances following a dangerous corner from Joshua Kimmich.

Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller scored a costly own goal as the Bundesliga leaders were held 1-1 at home to third-placed Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. Bayern took an 18th-minute lead when defender Niklas Sule pounced on a loose ball to score after two botched clearances following a dangerous corner from Joshua Kimmich. Leverkusen levelled in the 36th with a fortuitous goal, Muller flummoxing his own goalkeeper Sven Ulreich and turning a free-kick from Kerem Demirbay into his own net. ALSO READ: Chelsea supporters chant Roman Abramovich's name to interrupt Ukraine solidarity gesture It was the first time Bayern had drawn a match in the league since the opening day of the season in August when they were held 1-1 at Borussia Moenchengladbach and was also their first draw in the league at home. Bayern are still well in charge of the German title race with 59 points after 25 matches although the result will give a glimmer of hope to chasing Borussia Dortmund, who are second on 50 points but have a game in hand. Leverkusen stayed third on 45 points.

Bundesliga: Thomas Muller's own goal proves costly as Leverkusen hold Bayern Munich for a draw

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cristiano-ronaldo-skips-ballon-dor-to-receive-serie-a-player-of-the-year-award-in-italy-266021">Cristiano Ronaldo</a> and Gonzalo Higuain scored late goals as already-qualified Juventus beat hosts Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-gabriel-jesus-hat-trick-gives-man-city-4-1-win-at-dinamo-zagreb-267832">Champions League</a> Group D finale on Wednesday to eliminate the Germans from the competition.

Ronaldo tapped in from close range in the 75th minute after having missed an almost identical chance in the first half and Higuain scored in stoppage time to put Juve top of the group on 16 points.

Atletico Madrid, on 10, also advanced with a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/atletico-madrid-stroll-into-champions-league-knockouts-267845">2-0 win over Lokomotiv</a> Moscow, leaving Leverkusen in third place on six points and with a spot in the Europa League the next year.

Leverkusen started strongly and looked for an early goal but it was the Italians who came agonisingly close when Higuain cut into the box and Ronaldo was a fraction too late.

Leverkusen's Moussa Diaby then let fly from 20 metres and seemed set to beat 41-year-old keeper Gianluigi Buffon, who was making his first Champions League appearance this season, but the ball bounced off the post.

After the break, Juve controlled the pace with the hosts growing more desperate.

Ronaldo, who ended his goal drought earlier this month and also scored in the league at the weekend, struck with 15 minutes left, tapping in substitute <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/serie-a-juventus-dybala-sinks-milan-as-angry-ronaldo-substituted-261314">Paulo Dybala'</a>s cross to end any lingering hopes of qualifying for the Germans.

Dybala then set up Higuain for their second goal with the Argentine scoring with a low drive.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain scored late goals as already-qualified Juventus beat hosts Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 in the Champions League Group D finale on Wednesday to eliminate the Germans from the competition.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain scored late goals as already-qualified Juventus beat hosts Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 in the Champions League Group D finale on Wednesday to eliminate the Germans from the competition. Ronaldo tapped in from close range in the 75th minute after having missed an almost identical chance in the first half and Higuain scored in stoppage time to put Juve top of the group on 16 points. Atletico Madrid, on 10, also advanced with a 2-0 win over Lokomotiv Moscow, leaving Leverkusen in third place on six points and with a spot in the Europa League the next year. Leverkusen started strongly and looked for an early goal but it was the Italians who came agonisingly close when Higuain cut into the box and Ronaldo was a fraction too late. Leverkusen's Moussa Diaby then let fly from 20 metres and seemed set to beat 41-year-old keeper Gianluigi Buffon, who was making his first Champions League appearance this season, but the ball bounced off the post. After the break, Juve controlled the pace with the hosts growing more desperate. Ronaldo, who ended his goal drought earlier this month and also scored in the league at the weekend, struck with 15 minutes left, tapping in substitute Paulo Dybala's cross to end any lingering hopes of qualifying for the Germans. Dybala then set up Higuain for their second goal with the Argentine scoring with a low drive.

Champions League: Cristiano Ronaldo and Higuain on target as Juventus beat Leverkusen 2-0

Bayer Leverkusen sprang to life in their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-oxlade-chamberlain-strike-gives-liverpool-win-over-genk-260251">Champions League</a> group as they picked up their first points with a 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in a bad-tempered game on Wednesday.

Despite suffering a late fright and red card, Leverkusen were worthy winners and must have left their supporters wondering why they could not have produced similar displays earlier in the group.

Atletico would have clinched their place in the round of 16 with a win but failed to produce a single shot on target in the first half of the Group D game and fell behind to an own goal by Thomas Partey four minutes before halftime.

Charles Aranguiz lofted the ball over from the right and the Ghanaian headed into his own net as he tried to clear.

Leverkusen extended their lead 10 minutes after the break. Karim Bellarabi fired over a low cross from the right, Felipe failed to cut it out and Kevin Volland controlled the ball and drilled his shot past Jan Oblak.

There were ugly moments after that and, at one point, a huge scuffle broke out in the Atletico area involving around a dozen players which led to four players being booked.

Shortly afterwards, Leverkusen had Nadiem Amiri sent off for a late, sliding tackle, leaving the Bundesliga side to play the last six minutes with 10 men.

Alvaro Morata pulled one back in the fourth minute of stoppage time and, incredibly, Atletico nearly snatched an equaliser. In their next attack, the ball again fell perfectly for Morata in the penalty area but goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky saved the shot with his legs.

Leaders <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/serie-a-cristiano-ronaldo-hits-late-juventus-winner-as-napoli-rage-at-potato-peeling-referees-258933">Juventus</a> have qualified with 10 points from four games while Atletico have seven and Lokomotiv Moscow and Leverkusen three apiece.

Bayer Leverkusen sprang to life in their Champions League group as they picked up their first points with a 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in a bad-tempered game on Wednesday.

Bayer Leverkusen sprang to life in their Champions League group as they picked up their first points with a 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in a bad-tempered game on Wednesday. Despite suffering a late fright and red card, Leverkusen were worthy winners and must have left their supporters wondering why they could not have produced similar displays earlier in the group. Atletico would have clinched their place in the round of 16 with a win but failed to produce a single shot on target in the first half of the Group D game and fell behind to an own goal by Thomas Partey four minutes before halftime. Charles Aranguiz lofted the ball over from the right and the Ghanaian headed into his own net as he tried to clear. Leverkusen extended their lead 10 minutes after the break. Karim Bellarabi fired over a low cross from the right, Felipe failed to cut it out and Kevin Volland controlled the ball and drilled his shot past Jan Oblak. There were ugly moments after that and, at one point, a huge scuffle broke out in the Atletico area involving around a dozen players which led to four players being booked. Shortly afterwards, Leverkusen had Nadiem Amiri sent off for a late, sliding tackle, leaving the Bundesliga side to play the last six minutes with 10 men. Alvaro Morata pulled one back in the fourth minute of stoppage time and, incredibly, Atletico nearly snatched an equaliser. In their next attack, the ball again fell perfectly for Morata in the penalty area but goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky saved the shot with his legs. Leaders Juventus have qualified with 10 points from four games while Atletico have seven and Lokomotiv Moscow and Leverkusen three apiece.

Champions League: Leverkusen spring to life with win over Atletico

Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund drew 1-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday but increased the gap with second-place Bayern Munich to seven points after the champions' shock loss at Bayer Leverkusen.

Dortmund, who face Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League Round of 16 later this month, initially looked impressed by Frankfurt's tough, physical game but that lasted for only 20 minutes.

The visitors put their foot on the gas and Marco Reus scored the lead after good early work from Raphael Guerreiro in the 22nd minute, also hitting the woodwork a little later.

Frankfurt's Ante Rebic also hit the post before Bundesliga leading scorer Luka Jovic drew the hosts level in the 36th with his 14th goal of the campaign.

Both teams had their share of chances in the second half with Dortmund having close to 70 percent of possession.

"It was a very tough game, difficult with a lot of intensity. They pressed high early on but then we did it a bit better," said Dortmund coach Lucien Favre.

"The second half was good for both sides. We both tried to win it. We should have played a couple of moves a bit better. We wanted to win but we can live with the draw."

The point was enough to lift Dortmund to 49 and stretch their lead over Bayern, who are stuck on 42 and dropped to third place after their 3-1 defeat at Leverkusen, to seven.

Borussia Moenchengladbach moved into second place on goal difference, ahead of Bayern, following their 2-0 win at Schalke 04 with late goals from Christoph Kramer and Florian Neuhaus.

Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund drew 1-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday but increased the gap with second-place Bayern Munich to seven points after the champions' shock loss at Bayer Leverkusen.

Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund drew 1-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday but increased the gap with second-place Bayern Munich to seven points after the champions' shock loss at Bayer Leverkusen. Dortmund, who face Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League Round of 16 later this month, initially looked impressed by Frankfurt's tough, physical game but that lasted for only 20 minutes. The visitors put their foot on the gas and Marco Reus scored the lead after good early work from Raphael Guerreiro in the 22nd minute, also hitting the woodwork a little later. Frankfurt's Ante Rebic also hit the post before Bundesliga leading scorer Luka Jovic drew the hosts level in the 36th with his 14th goal of the campaign. Both teams had their share of chances in the second half with Dortmund having close to 70 percent of possession. "It was a very tough game, difficult with a lot of intensity. They pressed high early on but then we did it a bit better," said Dortmund coach Lucien Favre. "The second half was good for both sides. We both tried to win it. We should have played a couple of moves a bit better. We wanted to win but we can live with the draw." The point was enough to lift Dortmund to 49 and stretch their lead over Bayern, who are stuck on 42 and dropped to third place after their 3-1 defeat at Leverkusen, to seven. Borussia Moenchengladbach moved into second place on goal difference, ahead of Bayern, following their 2-0 win at Schalke 04 with late goals from Christoph Kramer and Florian Neuhaus.

Dortmund draw at Frankfurt but increase lead at top

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak was the hero as the Spanish side reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the fourth year in a row after drawing 0-0 with Bayer Leverkusen in an open last-16 second leg on Wednesday.

Slovenia international Oblak made an outstanding triple save to deny Julian Brandt and Kevin Volland in the second half and he made further impressive stops late in the game to shut out the Germans and secure a 4-2 aggregate success.

Atletico had the better of the first half and it took a top-class save from Oblak&#39;s opposite number Bernd Leno to prevent Angel Correa giving the Spaniards the lead before the break, flying to his left to tip away a goalbound shot.

The impressive Correa nearly crafted an outstanding goal in the second half but could not find the target while top scorer Antoine Griezmann also came close to putting Atletico out of sight, sending a classy chip just wide.

Atletico&#39;s ruthless counter-attacking in Leverkusen meant the second leg was always going to be less tense than the last time the sides met at the Vicente Calderon in 2015, when the Spaniards sneaked through to the last eight after a penalty shootout.

Playing their first European game under new coach Tayfun Korkut, Leverkusen sought an early advantage and had the chance to do so when Volland broke into the area but flashed a shot beyond the far post.

The Germans had more wayward efforts but Atletico came closer at the other end, first Koke drawing a save from Leno then Correa forcing the Germany international into action.

The most stunning intervention between the posts, however, came from Oblak who made himself big to deny Brandt before getting up immediately to dive in front of Volland&#39;s shot and blocking the German forward&#39;s follow-up.

Oblak then thwarted Karim Bellarabi on two separate occasions, keeping an exciting end-to-end spectacle goalless.

&quot;It feels great for Atletico to reach the quarter-finals four years in a row, it&#39;s very important for us and we have had to fight to get there,&quot; said Oblak, who was on the losing side in last year&#39;s Champions League final with Atletico against Real Madrid.

&quot;It hasn&#39;t been easy at all to get this far four years in a row and I hope we continue to grow as we have done in those years.&quot;

(Reuters)

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Oblak made an outstanding triple save and further impressive stops late in the game to shut out Bayer

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak was the hero as the Spanish side reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the fourth year in a row after drawing 0-0 with Bayer Leverkusen in an open last-16 second leg on Wednesday. Slovenia international Oblak made an outstanding triple save to deny Julian Brandt and Kevin Volland in the second half and he made further impressive stops late in the game to shut out the Germans and secure a 4-2 aggregate success. Atletico had the better of the first half and it took a top-class save from Oblak's opposite number Bernd Leno to prevent Angel Correa giving the Spaniards the lead before the break, flying to his left to tip away a goalbound shot. The impressive Correa nearly crafted an outstanding goal in the second half but could not find the target while top scorer Antoine Griezmann also came close to putting Atletico out of sight, sending a classy chip just wide. Atletico's ruthless counter-attacking in Leverkusen meant the second leg was always going to be less tense than the last time the sides met at the Vicente Calderon in 2015, when the Spaniards sneaked through to the last eight after a penalty shootout. Playing their first European game under new coach Tayfun Korkut, Leverkusen sought an early advantage and had the chance to do so when Volland broke into the area but flashed a shot beyond the far post. The Germans had more wayward efforts but Atletico came closer at the other end, first Koke drawing a save from Leno then Correa forcing the Germany international into action. The most stunning intervention between the posts, however, came from Oblak who made himself big to deny Brandt before getting up immediately to dive in front of Volland's shot and blocking the German forward's follow-up. Oblak then thwarted Karim Bellarabi on two separate occasions, keeping an exciting end-to-end spectacle goalless. "It feels great for Atletico to reach the quarter-finals four years in a row, it's very important for us and we have had to fight to get there," said Oblak, who was on the losing side in last year's Champions League final with Atletico against Real Madrid. "It hasn't been easy at all to get this far four years in a row and I hope we continue to grow as we have done in those years." (Reuters)

Champions League: Atletico march into quarters as Oblak shines

Atletico Madrid beat hosts Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 in a topsy-turvy encounter on Tuesday to take a firm handle on their Champions League round-of-16 tie ahead of the return leg in Spain next month.

Two lethal counter-attacks in the opening 25 minutes put the 2014 and 2016 finalists in the driving seat, with Saul Niguez and Antoine Griezmann on target, and gave them the edge for a quarter-final spot for the ninth time.

&quot;We knew it was going to be a tough game. We wanted to win, we did that and the return leg will be as difficult as tonight was,&quot; said Griezmann.

&quot;They pressured us and made life difficult but the boss&#39;s changes helped us win the game tonight. We have a big game to play now in front of our own fans.&quot;

Leverkusen, who paid the price for a disastrous defensive performance, cut the deficit before Atletico&#39;s Kevin Gameiro scored with a spot kick and Stefan Savic&#39;s own goal set up a nervous finale.

Substitute Fernando Torres ended any speculation with his goal in the 86th minute to take revenge for last season&#39;s 1-0 loss as the Germans suffered their first home defeat in Europe after a 10-match unbeaten run.

&quot;It is easy to see how Atletico have reached two finals in three years,&quot; said Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt. &quot;We knew of their counter-attacking abilities before the game but we ended up shipping two goals in the first half.&quot;

The Bundesliga club, finalists in 2002 before the introduction of the round of 16, are now at risk of missing out on the last eight for the fifth time, having never gone past this stage on their four previous attempts.

They were supposed to be dangerous on the break but it was Atletico who came close early on with keeper Bernd Leno stopping a Griezmann effort and Wendell seeing his subsequent clearance bounce off his keeper&#39;s crossbar.

Niguez did better in the 17th minute, charging down the right and curling his shot past Leno after it took a slight deflection off Aleksandar Dragovic.

Griezmann then doubled the score after the hapless Dragovic fluffed his clearance and sent the ball into the path of Gameiro who picked out the onrushing Frenchman.

Leverkusen played completely into Atletico&#39;s hands with their high defensive line, for the first time in this season&#39;s competition conceding goals in the opening 30 minutes.

Griezmann should have added another in the 34th when Gameiro again sent him through but Leno stood his ground and the hosts cut the deficit three minutes after the restart with Karim Bellarabi from inside the box.

But their hopes were short-lived as Dragovic capped his nightmarish performance by giving away a penalty after bringing down Gameiro.

Savic&#39;s own goal put Leverkusen back in the game but despite constant pressure they failed to carve out an equaliser before Torres finished them off.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Two lethal counter-attacks in the opening 25 minutes put the 2014 and 2016 finalists in the driving seat

Atletico Madrid beat hosts Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 in a topsy-turvy encounter on Tuesday to take a firm handle on their Champions League round-of-16 tie ahead of the return leg in Spain next month. Two lethal counter-attacks in the opening 25 minutes put the 2014 and 2016 finalists in the driving seat, with Saul Niguez and Antoine Griezmann on target, and gave them the edge for a quarter-final spot for the ninth time. "We knew it was going to be a tough game. We wanted to win, we did that and the return leg will be as difficult as tonight was," said Griezmann. "They pressured us and made life difficult but the boss's changes helped us win the game tonight. We have a big game to play now in front of our own fans." Leverkusen, who paid the price for a disastrous defensive performance, cut the deficit before Atletico's Kevin Gameiro scored with a spot kick and Stefan Savic's own goal set up a nervous finale. Substitute Fernando Torres ended any speculation with his goal in the 86th minute to take revenge for last season's 1-0 loss as the Germans suffered their first home defeat in Europe after a 10-match unbeaten run. "It is easy to see how Atletico have reached two finals in three years," said Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt. "We knew of their counter-attacking abilities before the game but we ended up shipping two goals in the first half." The Bundesliga club, finalists in 2002 before the introduction of the round of 16, are now at risk of missing out on the last eight for the fifth time, having never gone past this stage on their four previous attempts. They were supposed to be dangerous on the break but it was Atletico who came close early on with keeper Bernd Leno stopping a Griezmann effort and Wendell seeing his subsequent clearance bounce off his keeper's crossbar. Niguez did better in the 17th minute, charging down the right and curling his shot past Leno after it took a slight deflection off Aleksandar Dragovic. Griezmann then doubled the score after the hapless Dragovic fluffed his clearance and sent the ball into the path of Gameiro who picked out the onrushing Frenchman. Leverkusen played completely into Atletico's hands with their high defensive line, for the first time in this season's competition conceding goals in the opening 30 minutes. Griezmann should have added another in the 34th when Gameiro again sent him through but Leno stood his ground and the hosts cut the deficit three minutes after the restart with Karim Bellarabi from inside the box. But their hopes were short-lived as Dragovic capped his nightmarish performance by giving away a penalty after bringing down Gameiro. Savic's own goal put Leverkusen back in the game but despite constant pressure they failed to carve out an equaliser before Torres finished them off. (Reuters)

Champions League: Atletico close in on last eight with 4-2 Leverkusen win

Tottenham Hotspur stumbled at their adopted Wembley home again as Kevin&nbsp;Kampl&#39;s second-half goal gave Bayer Leverkusen a 1-0 victory that put the Bundesliga side on course for the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday.

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Slovenian international&nbsp;Kampl&#39;s close-range effort after 65 minutes gave Leverkusen a deserved victory &mdash;&nbsp;their first on English soil in 10 attempts &mdash;&nbsp;to move them above Tottenham into second place in Group E.

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Tottenham, now without a win in six matches in all competitions, never settled and there was precious little for the majority of the record 85,512 crowd to get excited about.

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Eric Dier came close to an equaliser when his free kick thumped against the crossbar with eight minutes left but Tottenham left the field to boos after a repeat of their opening 2-1 defeat by Monaco.

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With two matches left, Monaco lead the group on eight points after beating CSKA Moscow 3-0. Leverkusen have six and Tottenham have it all to do with four.

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&quot;If we don&#39;t win in Monaco and then against CSKA it&#39;s goodbye to the Champions League,&quot; Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, whose side face north London rivals Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday, told reporters.

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&quot;Two games at Wembley we have been very poor.&quot;

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Tottenham&#39;s season has hit a wall since an impressive win over Manchester City last month and they began in edgy fashion against a Leverkusen side who sensed their hosts&#39; unease.

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With their White Hart Lane ground affected by building work on a new stadium, Tottenham opted to play their home Champions League games at Wembley. But the grandeur of the venue has not had the desired effect on their form.

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Pochettino looked far from happy as his side continually gave the ball away in dangerous areas in the first half.

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Former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez buzzed around dangerously and should have punished a Kyle Walker error shortly before halftime but his shot was deflected wide.

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Tottenham took half an hour to register a worthwhile effort on goal, Christian Eriksen&#39;s powerful shot beaten away by Bernd Leno.

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Dele Alli did have the ball in the net on the stroke of halftime after substitute Vincent Jansen&#39;s shot was saved by Leno, but Jansen had been penalised for pulling.

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Alli had a strong penalty appeal turned down when tumbling over Leverkusen skipper Omer Toprak&#39;s dangled foot early in the second half and Walker sliced through the Leverkusen defence and fired a shot agonisingly wide.

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Moments later, more shoddy Tottenham defending let in Hernandez whose first shot was blocked and as the ball came back to him he forced Hugo Lloris into a smart save.

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Tottenham failed to heed the warnings, however, and fell behind in the 65th minute. Charles Aranguiz&#39;s shot deflected into the path of&nbsp;Kampl&nbsp;who slotted past Lloris from six yards out.

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Leverkusen cleverly kept Tottenham at arm&#39;s length thereafter although they did enjoy a let off when Dier&#39;s free kick rocked the crossbar and the ball was scrambled clear.

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&quot;We were courageous and bold,&quot; Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt, whose side had drawn their previous three matches in the group, said.

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&quot;Tottenham are unbeaten in the Premier League so that makes it more special.&quot;

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(Reuters)&nbsp;

Tottenham Hotspur stumbled at their adopted Wembley home as Leverkusen claimed their first victory on English soil in 10 attempts

Tottenham Hotspur stumbled at their adopted Wembley home again as Kevin Kampl's second-half goal gave Bayer Leverkusen a 1-0 victory that put the Bundesliga side on course for the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday. Slovenian international Kampl's close-range effort after 65 minutes gave Leverkusen a deserved victory — their first on English soil in 10 attempts — to move them above Tottenham into second place in Group E. Tottenham, now without a win in six matches in all competitions, never settled and there was precious little for the majority of the record 85,512 crowd to get excited about. Eric Dier came close to an equaliser when his free kick thumped against the crossbar with eight minutes left but Tottenham left the field to boos after a repeat of their opening 2-1 defeat by Monaco. With two matches left, Monaco lead the group on eight points after beating CSKA Moscow 3-0. Leverkusen have six and Tottenham have it all to do with four. "If we don't win in Monaco and then against CSKA it's goodbye to the Champions League," Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, whose side face north London rivals Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday, told reporters. "Two games at Wembley we have been very poor." Tottenham's season has hit a wall since an impressive win over Manchester City last month and they began in edgy fashion against a Leverkusen side who sensed their hosts' unease. With their White Hart Lane ground affected by building work on a new stadium, Tottenham opted to play their home Champions League games at Wembley. But the grandeur of the venue has not had the desired effect on their form. Pochettino looked far from happy as his side continually gave the ball away in dangerous areas in the first half. Former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez buzzed around dangerously and should have punished a Kyle Walker error shortly before halftime but his shot was deflected wide. Tottenham took half an hour to register a worthwhile effort on goal, Christian Eriksen's powerful shot beaten away by Bernd Leno. Dele Alli did have the ball in the net on the stroke of halftime after substitute Vincent Jansen's shot was saved by Leno, but Jansen had been penalised for pulling. Alli had a strong penalty appeal turned down when tumbling over Leverkusen skipper Omer Toprak's dangled foot early in the second half and Walker sliced through the Leverkusen defence and fired a shot agonisingly wide. Moments later, more shoddy Tottenham defending let in Hernandez whose first shot was blocked and as the ball came back to him he forced Hugo Lloris into a smart save. Tottenham failed to heed the warnings, however, and fell behind in the 65th minute. Charles Aranguiz's shot deflected into the path of Kampl who slotted past Lloris from six yards out. Leverkusen cleverly kept Tottenham at arm's length thereafter although they did enjoy a let off when Dier's free kick rocked the crossbar and the ball was scrambled clear. "We were courageous and bold," Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt, whose side had drawn their previous three matches in the group, said. "Tottenham are unbeaten in the Premier League so that makes it more special." (Reuters)

Champions League: Kampl's second-half goal gives Leverkusen 1-0 victory at Tottenham