Good Afternoon everyone, my name is Harrison Pascoe and it’s my pleasure to bring to you live coverage of the Bundesliga, and today’s game certainly has the potential to be cause for celebration. Bayer Leverkusen are on the brink of finally putting an end to the Bayern dominance, a period of which has lasted for a long 11 years of consecutive titles, and they know that 3 points here today will make them the first team since Jurgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund in 2011/12 to snatch the title away from the Bavarians. History can be made here at the BayArena and Leverkusen are 90 minutes away from doing so.
Leverkusen have won 7 of their last 18 meetings with Werder Bremen, with the away side today only managing 4 victories against the league leaders in that time.
November’s clash saw Bayer Leverkusen take all 3 points in a dominant 3-0 display
4:25PM: The home fans are in loud voice as you might expect them to be, it’s their first chance in their history to be engulfed in Bundesliga glory
1′ KICK OFF: Werder Bremen kick us off here and Leverkusen’s bid for the title is underway.
2′ Its a clever ball through by Kossounou to Amine Adli, but the French winger runs out of pitch and his touch goes out for a Bremen goal kick.
5′ Both teams have settled nicely into this game, with Bremen starting to knock the ball around with confidence. Numerous long balls up to Nick Woltemade have been attempted however, and you can suggest he may be Bremen’s outlet for Leverkusen’s constant pressure.
6′ Foul: Edmond Tapsoba penalised for a challenge on Leonardo Bittencourt.
8′ HUGE CHANCE! Hincapie is denied by Zetterer! Nathan Tella brings down a lofted ball by Kossounou well and drives towards Veljkovic before spraying a low pass through the Bremen corridor between Zetterer and his defence, and arriving at the backpost is Hincapie who’s at full stretch and perhaps should have tucked that one away!
9′ Foul: Andrich judges his challenge on Schmid poorly as his foot rolls over the ball.
13′ Its a corner here for Leverkusen after some neat interchange down the left hand side.
16′ Xhaka tries his luck from distance and wins his side another corner.
19‘ It has been quite an even start here and Bremen are looking to build on this positive opening 20 minutes as Woltemade attempts to turn his man, however Jonathan Tah stands tall.
21′ Penalty Shout for Leverkusen! It’s much better from the home side who have had a few sloppy moments already this game, though it is Tella who slides another low cross into the 6 yard box for Hoffman who gets across his man before being clipped. VAR will check this…
23′ VAR – Penalty (Foul) – Its a Penalty for Leverkusen! After being sent to the screen, Harm Osmers awards the spot kick!
25′ GOAL!!! BONIFACE FIRES LEVERKUSEN IN FRONT! Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Werder Bremen!
They have not been at their free-flowing best so far today, but the league leaders as they have so often this season have found a way to break the deadlock! Victor Boniface thunders home a shot in the bottom right corner, Zetterer guesses the right way but Boniface’s effort is all too powerful for the German Goalkeeper.
26′ Its a sea of red all around the BayArena here, and with Boniface’s strike, the intensity has only increased within the Leverkusen team as they hunt down each and every loose ball.
28′ JUST WIDE! The Leverkusen corner is played low and hard to the edge of the box where Granit Xhaka awaits, and his slightly deflected effort is inches away from doubling Leverkusen’s lead. It will be another corner to the home side.
29′ How has that not gone in?! The resulting corner causes Werder Bremen all kinds of troubles as it’s swung deep into the back post where Jonathan Tah meets it with his head but he cannot direct his effort past Zetterer! Boniface tries to get a toe on it too as the ball ricochets around the 6-yard box until Bremen eventually clear their lines!
34′ Granit Xhaka has been a staple of Leverkusen’s success this season and today has been no different, he’s been dictating everything out there on the pitch.
35′ ANOTHER CHANCE! It looks to be off the line by Malatini after a low driven shot by Jonas Hoffman! And the Argentinian defender has spared his blushes there as he was brushed away so easily by Amine Adli down the left hand side before the French man squared it for Hoffman’s shot! Leverkusen are really starting to amp the pressure up now.
38′ CROSSBAR! It is chance after chance for Leverkusen and Adli is so terribly unlucky to not be on the scoresheet there! Its a peach of a ball from Jonas Hoffman who shows great vision to see the run of the winger, and his near post effort crashes off the bar! Should be 2-0!
39′ The likes of Adli and Tella have been real thorns in the side of this Werder Bremen team this first half, the home team have really used their wide players effectively.
44′ Leverkusen have posed a threat from set pieces all season and have won most headers from their corners today, with Tapsoba being the latest to get on the end of a Hoffman corner.
45′ There will be an additional 4 minutes of added time at the end of this first half.
45+1′ Better from Bremen! Schmid’s whipped ball in causes real uncertainty for the Leverkusen backline as Hradecky parries his cross away. Hradecky has been merely a spectator this afternoon but had to be well alert there!
45+4′ HALF TIME: Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Werder Bremen
Their dominance in the Bundesliga this season has lead them to being in touching distance of a league title with 5 games to play, and that first half has shown why they are in that position. Werder Bremen have defended well throughout, but Leverkusen are worthy to be a goal up going into the break and have pinned their opponent’s defence far back at times while keeping things tight in case of any Bremen counter attack. Boniface’s 25th minute penalty is the difference between the two so far as we draw that pulsating first half to a close.
45′ BAYER LEVERKUSEN SUBSTITUTION: Amine Adli makes way for Florian Wirtz.
46′ Foul: Bittencourt is penalised for a poor high challenge on Hincapie, and the Ecuardorian full-back hits out in protest. Harm Osmers may have to get involved here…
46′ YELLOW CARD: Leonardo Bittencourt
46′ YELLOW CARD: Piero Hincapie
50′ Xabi Alonso’s side will certainly be looking for another goal early on in this half, and Florian Wirtz’s introduction may prove to be instrumental in finding that precious second goal as his creative expertise has been demonstrated so often this season.
51′ Werder Bremen have been unable to find a real sight of goal all afternoon, but Bittencourt tries his luck from distance, however his effort is held comfortably in the hands of Hradecky.
58′ Boniface unable to release his shot! The Nigerian turns his man expertly and was a moment away from surely tucking away his second of the afternoon, although Malatini does fantastically to recover and prevent a second goal!
60′ GOAL!!! THAT IS INCREDIBLE FROM XHAKA! Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 Werder Bremen!
It had been coming! The Swiss International fires a rocket from all but 30 yards as he gets on the end of a short Victor Boniface pass before curling his left-footed effort past Zetterer! Leverkusen double their lead and look to have one hand on the trophy!
62′ BAYER LEVERKUSEN SUBSTITUTION: Patrick Schick is brought into action for Victor Boniface.
62′ BAYER LEVERKUSEN SUBSTITUTION: Nathan Tella is replaced by Jeremie Frimpong.
64′ With that second goal, Leverkusen are truly in control of this match now, Bremen have hardly had a kick all half.
68′ GOAL!!! WIRTZ CRASHES ONE HOME FROM DISTANCE! Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 Werder Bremen!
After Xhaka’s long range effort minutes ago, Wirtz decides to take one on himself and makes absolutely no mistake! The German receives the ball on the turn from Xhaka, before driving through the Bremen midfield and hammering in a thunderous strike that beats Zetterer!
69′ WERDER BREMEN SUBSTITUTION: Dawid Kownacki comes on for Nick Woltemade.
69′ WERDER BREMEN SUBSTITUTION: Olivier Deman replaces Felix Agu.
72′ Leverkusen come close again! Werder Bremen are in danger of this becoming a rout here, as Frimpong is the latest substitution to fire an effort on goal, but his effort is parried away this time by Zetterer.
75′ A rare chance for Bremen! Bittencourt’s switched ball is found at the feet of Olivier Deman as he strikes the ball into the ground. Though it’s comfortable enough for Hradecky.
77′ WERDER BREMEN SUBSTITUTION: Isak Hansen-Aaroen comes on for Leonardo Bittencourt.
77′ BAYER LEVERKUSEN SUBSTITUTION: Alex Grimaldo replaces Piero Hincapie.
77′ BAYER LEVERKUSEN SUBSTITUTION: Exequiel Palacios is brought into action for Granit Xhaka.
80′ Palacios’ effort is high and wide.
83′ GOAL!!! WIRTZ WRAPS UP THE BUNDESLIGA TITLE! Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 Werder Bremen!
Their life-long wait for Germany’s top division is surely over! Wirtz gets his second of the match but it is terribly poor defending by the away side who afforded the German midfielder acres of space for a clear one-on-one! The celebrations seem to be premature here as pandemonium breaks out by the pitch side with a number of fans storming the pitch! Emotions are understandably running high though things are being cleared out there.
86′ With the fans being removed from the pitch, the thick red smoke from the pyros enters. It is a cauldron at the BayArena.
90′ GOAL!!! HIS FIRST CAREER HAT-TRICK! AND WHAT A TIME TO GET IT! Bayer Leverkusen 5-0 Werder Bremen!
Grimaldo plays Wirtz through and he makes no mistake yet again! The substitute drives his short hard into the bottom left corner and gets his third, and it is BEDLAM here at the BayArena! Almost immediately, fans breakout once more onto the pitch and the referee blows his whistle! They have done it! Bayer Leverkusen are the 2023/24 Bundesliga champions and they have done it in style.
90′ FULL TIME: Bayer Leverkusen 5-0 Werder Bremen
It’s been fantastic to report on what has turned out to be an exhilarating game of football today, and I truly hope you have enjoyed each and every moment of it! Thank you for tuning in!
