German champion Bayer Leverkusen lost a Bundesliga game for the first time in 15 months when Loïs Openda scored twice in a 3-2 comeback win for Leipzig on Saturday.
Under coach Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen has made crucial late goals a speciality. It briefly seemed like that might happen again when the referee went to review a possible penalty in the 86th minute after Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba and Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick made contact.
The referee decided against the spot kick and Leverkusen lost to a German opponent for the first time since May 2023 after 35 Bundesliga games unbeaten, including its entire title-winning 2023-24 season.
“It’s hard, it’s bitter,” Alonso told German broadcaster Sky. “I don’t think we deserved to lose today.”
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Leipzig came back from 2-0 down as it made the most of relatively few chances, generally on the counter, to seal a comeback win. Its three goals came from 10 shots to Leverkusen’s 27.
Leverkusen scored twice in the space of six first-half minutes, first when Jeremie Frimpong intercepted a loose pass, sent defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu the wrong way and beat goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi. Alex Grimaldo then finished off a team move that included new signing Martin Terrier drawing Gulacsi out of position.
Still, the momentum was with Leipzig at halftime after Kevin Kampl’s added-time header, and Openda then turned the game around with two precise finishes. He leveled the score with a shot from a tight angle near the touchline, and made it 3-2 with a curling effort from outside the box.
“Leipzig’s goal (from Kampl) before the break was something that changed (the game),” Alonso said. “We were prepared to play well and keep going in the second half, but we didn’t have too much control, the game was too open and we conceded two goals too simply.”
Leipzig managed its comeback without coach Marco Rose, who was sent to the stands early on after two yellow cards for dissent in quick succession.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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