Aleix Garcia’s goals, Victor Boniface and Amine Adli took Bayer Leverkusen to a 3-1 home victory against Bochum on Friday and reduced Bayern Munich’s advance at the top of the Bundesliga to three points. The defending champions Leverkusen dominated possession and camped near Bochum’s goal for a large part of the match, but had trouble carving out clear chances until the end of the match. Aleix Garcia opened the Leverkusen account halfway to the half of the opening when he curled up in a shot just outside the area.
Bochum retaliated shortly after when Felix Passlack sparked a memorable strike after a defensive error in Xhaka granite.
Leverkusen’s nerves seemed to be built as the game continued to Boniface, starting for the first time since early February, restored its lead with a tap-in at the brand of the 60-minute brand.
Adli, for Patrik Schick, scored a third in the 87th minute to conclude the victory and increase the pressure on Bayern, which welcomes St Pauli on Saturday.
Bayern can restore the six -point gap with a victory, but will have to do so with an exhausted defense, Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano taking long -term injuries in the international break.
Coach Xabi Alonso told journalists “maybe it was not the best performance, but it was consistent, stable and serious. For the last period of the season – these seven games – if we remain patient and calm, we know that we have a chance.”
“Of course, we depend on other results,” said Dazn, a Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah, but added “we are there and we have not yet abandoned. We always believe.”
The holders of the German Leverkusen Cup take place at the third division Arminia Bielefeld in the semi-final of the competition on Tuesday.
Pre-match, Leverkusen’s task was simple. Alonso said Thursday that his team “would fight until the end” and “exerted as much pressure on them (Bayern) as possible”.
With Creative Spark Florian Wirtz still injured, Alonso chose to start the Boniface attackers and Schick next to each other for the first time this season.
Despite the two attacking threats in advance, it was an attacker who opened the scoring with 20 minutes missing.
The Spaniard collected a pass of Exequel Palacios on the edge of the box and sparked a perfect shot in the nearby corner.
Bochum, whose modest table position denies their recent shape with victories over Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, retaliated six minutes later with a superb volley of Passlack.
With the level of scores at the break, Leverkusen resumed the advance 15 minutes in the second period.
Garcia whipped a curling cross from the right, which found Piero Hincie with a distant post. The Ecuadorian posed a perfect crossed ball for Boniface, who put Leverkusen opposite.
Boniface scored again on the 80-minute brand, but the goal was struck for a narrow offside.
With three minutes to play, Boniface won the ball in the midfield and fed Palacios, who put the ball for Adli to slip into the house.
(This story has not been published by NDTV staff and is automatically generated from a unionized flow.)
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