Leverkusen thump Frankfurt for five to continue remarkable unbeaten season
With the league title in the bag, one foot in the UEFA Europa League final and a DFB-Pokal final on the horizon, things couldn’t be going much better for Leverkusen at the moment.
However, given the prospect of an unbeaten league season is still on the cards, there was never likely to be let-up in performance levels, and Leverkusen showed as much inside 15 minutes when Granit Xhaka thundered home from the edge of the area to fire them into an early lead.
Their advantage should have been doubled moments later, too, when Jonas Hofmann unselfishly squared for Exequiel Palacios, but a last-ditch Willian Pacho block kept Frankfurt in the game.
That proved to be a crucial stop as, shortly after the half-hour mark, a short-corner routine ended with Hugo Ekitike steering home Fares Chaibi’s measured delivery in what was Die Adler’s first meaningful attack of the game.
The hosts’ leveller seemed to change the match’s momentum, with Frankfurt in the ascendancy as HT approached, and Omar Marmoush wasted a fantastic opportunity despite being one-on-one with Lukas Hradecky, incredulously blasting his effort into orbit when in acres of space.
His miss proved costly moments when, on the stroke of HT, Patrik Schick powered home Adam Hlozek’s delivery at the back post.
Only a goal down, Frankfurt were still in the encounter, but they self-imploded shortly after the restart when a moment of madness from Niels Nkounkou saw him pull Nathan Tella’s shirt inside the area. A penalty was duly awarded and, having been denied earlier, Palacios scored to leave the hosts with a mountain to climb.
That became an insurmountable ascent a little under 15 minutes from time when a lightning-quick Leverkusen counter culminated with Hofmann laying the ball on a plate for substitute Jeremie Frimpong to tap home Die Werkself’s fourth.
Damage limitation was all that was left for Frankfurt, but they were unsuccessful in doing so. Ansgar Knauff caught Frimpong in the area, and after a swift VAR check, a penalty was awarded.
Victor Boniface fired home to round off the scoring and leave Frankfurt knowing they still need a win from their remaining two games to mathematically secure a top-six finish.
As for the juggernaut that is Leverkusen, they’re showing no sign of slowing up and even with boss Xabi Alonso in the stands, displayed yet another dominant performance.
They are now level with Benfica’s 59-year European record for the longest unbeaten run in all competitions, and they can write another piece of history against Roma on Thursday.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Adam Hlozek (Bayer Leverkusen)
