Augsburg, Germany - Bayer Leverkusen secured a convincing 2-0 victory over Augsburg on Saturday, marking their rise to second place in the Bundesliga. This win is part of Leverkusen's impressive run, now totaling four consecutive league victories and seven overall across all competitions.
Buoyed by their recent Champions League triumph over Inter Milan, Leverkusen struck early. Martin Terrier got the scoring underway, netting the first goal just 14 minutes in. A well-placed ball from Granit Xhaka found Jeremie Frimpong, who set up Terrier for a clinical finish. While Augsburg launched their first shot on goal soon after, it was saved by Leverkusen's goalkeeper, Lukas Hradecky.
The visitors maintained their offensive momentum, generating several opportunities, though some attempts fell short. Florian Wirtz, another key player for Leverkusen, showcased his skills soon after, firing over the goal before Nathan Tella's shot was blocked. Augsburg’s defense initially held strong, even dismissing what they thought was the equalizer when Keven Schlotterbeck’s header from Marius Wolf’s free-kick was ruled offside.
Despite Augsburg’s spirited play, it was Leverkusen who found the net again. Just before halftime, Wirtz turned provider, receiving Tella's pass and finding enough space to score with precision, doubling the lead to 2-0 by the 40th minute.
Following halftime, Augsburg attempted to regain their footing, with Phillip Tietz’s header saved by Hradecky, but Leverkusen controlled much of the play. A curling shot by Wirtz tested Augsburg's goalkeeper, Nediljko Labrovic, who managed to deflect the ball away. Coaches for Augsburg tried reinforcements, bringing on Alexis Claude-Maurice to spark their attack, but their efforts fell short, unable to break through Leverkusen’s solid defense.
Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen's coach, expressed his satisfaction with the performance: "I am very satisfied with the game and especially with the way we played. We were very solid, had good control and that's not easy. That's the way we want to play in away matches," he stated after the final whistle.
Alonso emphasized the significance of focusing on their next match rather than getting overly absorbed by league standings. "This win is good for us. The next match, that's our only focus. The table in December is not something so important. More important is the way we played. For anything else, it is still too early," he added. Through this victory, Leverkusen now sits on 29 points, four behind league leaders Bayern Munich, who suffered their first defeat of the season to Mainz 05.
Leverkusen’s success extends beyond this match; they have not lost any of their last 24 away matches—an impressive feat only surpassed by Bayern Munich. This win not only reinforces their standing but also ends Augsburg’s five-game unbeaten streak at home, marking it as their joint-longest run since February 2018.
The decisive display by Leverkusen serves as both a confidence boost and affirmation of their status as serious contenders this Bundesliga season, as they look forward to their upcoming matches with aspirations of maintaining their winning streak and challenging for the league title.