Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 Bayern Munich: Xabi Alonso’s side seal stunning win to stretch lead at top of Bundesliga
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Updated 10/02/2024 at 21:38 GMT
Bayer Leverkusen recorded a stunning statement 3-0 victory over reigning champions and nearest challengers Bayern Munich to extend their lead at the top of the Bundesliga table to five points. Josip Stanisic, Alejandro Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong scored the goals on an unforgettable night at BayArena as England captain Harry Kane was for once reduced to a forgettable evening in front of goal.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen celebrate a 3-0 win over Bayern Munich.
Image credit: Getty Images
Bayer Leverkusen demolished an abject Bayern Munich side 3-0 to move five points clear of the German champions at the top of the Bundesliga.
Xabi Alonso's unbeaten side struck after 18 minutes when on-loan Bayern full-back Josip Stanisic converted Robert Andrich's cross from close range and never looked back as the visitors toiled to gain any meaningful foothold at a bouncing BayArena.
Alejandro Grimaldo walloped home a superb second from a lovely one-two with Nathan Tella on 50 minutes before substitute Jeremie Frimpong clubbed the third into an empty net in the final seconds with visiting goalkeeper Manuel Neuer up for a corner at the other end.
In truth, it did not flatter the home side with Thomas Tuchel's Bayern reduced to only one official shot at goal, the first time they have suffered such a humiliating stat over the past eight years in the Bundesliga.
Leverkusen move onto 55 points from 21 matches with their closest rivals Bayern on 50, ten ahead of third-placed VfB Stuttgart.
Talking Point - Will Bayern Munich recover from this drubbing?
Many will wonder if nearly men Leverkusen can keep up the momentum to claim their first Bundesliga crown after five times finishing runners-up, but just as pertinent a question is wondering whether Bayern have the ability to keep pace at the summit?
This was a chastening evening that does not hint at a strong finish to the season by the serial Bundesliga winners, who offered little or no resistance when they fell behind.
Tuchel's side looked like a collection of individuals rather than a team, and their confidence will have taken a sore blow from such a disjointed outing.
They remain second in the standings, but were a distant second in turning in one of their poorest performances of the season against a home side who did not have to overthink things to comfortably close them out.
Player of the Match - Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen)
Exceptional performance from the creative Spanish left-back, who helped tear the visitors to pieces with his attacking enthusiasm a constant source of menace.
Scored a brilliant second goal for the home side, and almost clipped a corner into the net with the outside of his left foot with the ball hitting the bar.
Grimaldo is a key cog of a Leverkusen team who opened up the visitors at will with their pace and movement a joy to behold.
Player Ratings
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky 7, Stanisic 8, Tapsoba 7, Tah 7, Hincapie 7, Grimaldo 9, Andrich 8, Xhaka 8, Wirtz 7, Adli 7, Tella 8 Subs: Hofmann 6, Hlozek 6, Frimpong 8, Puerta 6
Bayern Munich: Neuer 6, Boey 5, Upamecano 5, Kim 5, Dier 6, Mazraoui 5, Goretzka 5, Pavlovic 5, Musiala 5, Sane 5, Kane 5 Subs: Kimmich 6, Choupo-Moting 6, Gurreiro 6, Muller 6, Tel Aznou 6
Match Highlights
18' GOAL FOR LEVERKUSEN (STANISIC) Josip Stanisic slams the ball into the net from close range from the Robert Andrich cross. Bayern all over the place seconds after Amine Adli had seen his shot saved by Manuel Neuer.
50' A SECOND GOAL FOR LEVERKUSEN! (GRIMALDO) Álex Grimaldo bounds onto the lovely little pass from Tella. Little give and go to cut open the visitors. That is so, so easy. And he slams the ball into the net with Neuer unable to close down the angle. It is 2-0 to Leverkusen. A deserved lead.
64' GRIMALDO HITS THE BAYERN BAR He clips the delivery at the goal with his left foot from the corner on the left. And it almost tricks Neuer as the ball comes back off the top of the bar. How close was that to a third goal?
87' ALMOST A THIRD FOR LEVERKUSEN Frimpong on the dash for the home side into the Munich box. Manages to get a shot away, but ball deflects off Kimmich before deflecting off the outside of a post and spinning wide.
90+5' GOAL FOR LEVERKUSEN! (FRIMPONG) Neuer out of his goal. Up for a corner attempting to find a late goal. Ball breaks to substitute Frimpong who dashes up the pitch before thumping the shot into the empty net as he raced over the halfway line. It finishes 3-0 to Leverkusen. What a finish.
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