Leverkusen rescue last-gasp UEL draw to maintain unbeaten record

Bayer Leverkusen maintains their undefeated streak with a dramatic 92nd-minute equalizer in a thrilling conclusion to their Europa League match against Qarabag.

Bayer Leverkusen, led by Xabi Alonso, staged a comeback to secure a 2-2 draw against Qarabag in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 on Thursday.

Leverkusen, enjoying a remarkable Bundesliga season with a 10-point lead over second-placed Bayern Munich, faced a potential upset in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie against Qarabag on Thursday. Despite their unbeaten domestic record, Leverkusen found themselves trailing 2-0 in the first half after Yassine Benzia and Juninho scored for Qarabag. A comeback began with Florian Wirtz's goal in the 70th minute, and Patrik Schick's equalizer in injury time salvaged a draw, preserving Leverkusen's impressive unbeaten streak.

Despite holding a substantial lead over Bayern in the league, Leverkusen risked a blow to their morale if they had suffered a defeat in Azerbaijan. The team will have the opportunity to bounce back in the return leg scheduled in Germany next week, following a Bundesliga match against Wolfsburg this weekend.

Match report

In the first leg, the Azerbaijani team secured a 4-2 victory in Portugal, but in the return match, they faced adversity with a 2-0 deficit on their home ground in regular time. Despite playing with 10 men, they pushed the game into extra time. Even though they lost 3-2 on the night, Qarabag emerged triumphant against the odds, thanks to late goals from Matheus Silva and Nariman Axundzada, the latter finding the net in the 122nd minute, leading to jubilant celebrations.

Qarabag is currently experiencing a wave of excitement, with their remarkable performance in European competitions aligning with their dominant run in the Azerbaijan Premier League. They have won 13 and drawn one in their last 14 league games, establishing a commanding 23-point lead at the top. With just 11 points needed from the remaining matches, they are on track to secure a third consecutive league title.

Their focus now shifts to a challenging Europa League last-16 tie against Leverkusen, a team that defeated Qarabag 5-1 in Germany and 1-0 in Azerbaijan during the group stage this season. Gurban Gurbanov, the Qarabag coach, has previously visited Leverkusen's training complex to study Xabi Alonso's coaching methods. With tactical acumen, Gurbanov aims to outsmart one of Europe's most sought-after managers as Qarabag seeks to create a significant upset in what is arguably their most crucial European fixture in the club's history.

Leverkusen Progress

Bayer Leverkusen continues to make history by extending their unbeaten streak to 34 matches in all competitions. They secured a 2-0 victory over 10-man Koln on Sunday, further strengthening their Bundesliga title aspirations.

The early dismissal of Koln's Jan Thielmann in the 14th minute played into Leverkusen's favor, allowing them to comfortably secure their 30th win in all competitions and their sixth consecutive triumph. Goals from Jeremie Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo on either side of halftime sealed the routine victory.

Under Xabi Alonso's management, Leverkusen has taken advantage of Bayern Munich's recent struggles, establishing a significant 10-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga table with 10 games remaining. Their focus now shifts to the Europa League, aiming to surpass their semi-final performance from the previous season.
Leverkusen's impressive run includes being the only team in this season's Europa League to finish the group stage with a perfect record of six wins. This achievement makes them the first team since Arsenal in the 2020-21 season to accomplish such a feat. Additionally, their ongoing six-game winning streak is the longest within a single Europa League campaign since Villarreal's nine-match run on their way to winning the trophy in 2020-21.

What happened

Leverkusen had two encounters with Qarabag during this season's Europa League group stages, emerging victorious in both matches. The team secured a 5-1 win at home and a 1-0 victory away. They hope to replicate the former result in the upcoming second leg when they host Qarabag in Germany next week. Before that, their focus is on achieving a double victory over Wolfsburg on Sunday, having previously beaten them 2-1 in an away match in October.