Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months.
Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning.
Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back.
Photo: Reuters
However, while Leverkusen rallied late to win both of those matches, they had no answer for a rampant Lois Openda, who scored twice in the second half to turn the match.
Known for late goals — Leverkusen have scored 17 times in the 88th minute or later this year — Alonso’s men were unable to salvage their record.
Having qualified for Europe last season, Hoffenheim are an unknown quantity this year. They beat promoted Holstein Kiel in their opener, but were outclassed by fellow UEFA Europa League side Eintracht Frankfurt the week after.
While the statement win over Leverkusen broke a stunning streak, Leipzig have quietly been putting together a run of their own.
Leipzig’s last loss — a 2-1 defeat at Bayern Munich thanks to a stoppage-time Harry Kane goal — came in February, a 15-game unbeaten run.
They host Union Berlin today, but will be without manager Marco Rose, who saw yellow twice in the win over Leverkusen.
Along with Leipzig, Bayern and unlikely league leaders Heidenheim are the only three clubs to have won two from two to start the season. Bayern travel to Holstein Kiel today in just the second meeting between the two clubs. The first took place in the DFB-Pokal in 2021, when Kiel knocked Bayern out on penalties in the second round.
The exit kick-started a run of poor performances in the DFB-Pokal; 20-time winners Bayern have not made it past the quarter-finals for the past four years.
Despite leading the league, Heidenheim were to travel to Borussia Dortmund yesterday knowing that the pressure was well and truly on their opponents. Dortmund’s limp scoreless draw at Werder Bremen has again put the spotlight on a side who, despite making the UEFA Champions League final last campaign, stumbled to fifth place in the league.
Heideheim coach Frank Schmidt on Thursday backed his side to “make the impossible possible” against their heavily favored opponents.
However, Dortmund can count on the debut of striker Serhou Guirassy, who has returned from a knee injury.
Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin on Thursday said that Guirassy, who joined from Stuttgart in the summer, had made an “excellent impression” this week.
Doping fears prevented former US Open champion Emma Raducanu from treating insect bites on the eve of the Australian Open, she said, with players increasingly wary about ingesting contaminated substances. The British player was speaking in the wake of high-profile doping cases involving Iga Swiatak and Jannik Sinner. “I would say all of us are probably quite sensitive to what we take on board, what we use,” the 22-year-old said, recalling an incident on Friday. “I got really badly bitten by, I don’t know what, like ants, mosquitoes, something. I’m allergic, I guess,” she added. The bites “flared up and swelled up really a
The NHL postponed the Los Angeles Kings’ home game against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday with several massive wildfires burning across the greater Los Angeles area. The Kings and Flames were scheduled to play on Wednesday night at the Kings’ downtown arena. The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers were scheduled to host the Charlotte Hornets in the same arena last night. “Our hearts are with our entire Los Angeles community,” the Kings said in a statement. “We appreciate the hard working first responders who are diligently working to contain the fire and protect our community. We appreciate the league’s support in keeping our
TWO IN A WEEK: Despite an undefeated start to the year playing alongside Jiang Xinyu of China, Wu Fang-hsien is to play the Australian Open with a Russian partner Taiwan’s Wu Fang-hsien yesterday triumphed at the Hobart International, winning the women’s doubles title at the US$275,094 outdoor hard-court tournament, while McCartney Kessler lifted the trophy in the women’s singles. Fourth-ranked Wu and partner Jiang Xinyu of China took 1 hour, 15 minutes to defeat Romania’s Monica Niculescu and Fanny Stollar of Hungary, 6-1, 7-6 (8/6) at the Hobart International Tennis Centre, their second title in a week. Wu and Jiang on Sunday won the women’s doubles title at the ASB Classic in Auckland, beating Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic and Sabrina Santamaria of the US. Their winning ways continued in Australia as they stretched
EL CLASSICO: La Liga champions Real Madrid would face Barcelona in the Super Cup final tomorrow. Barça secured their final spot after a 2-0 win over Bilbao on Wednesday Real Madrid would chase a record-equaling 14th Spanish Super Cup title in the final against Barcelona after second-half goals by Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo helped them to a 3-0 win over Mallorca in the semi-finals on Thursday. England midfielder Bellingham broke the deadlock after the hour mark with a low shot into the middle of the goal before Mallorca defender Martin Valjent’s own goal doubled the lead in stoppage time followed by a Rodrygo strike from close range. Spanish champions Real are to play Barcelona for the trophy tomorrow after goals by Gavi and Lamine Yamal earned Barça a 2-0 win over
RSS