Bundesliga
Leverkusen held again in Champions League
Bayer Leverkusen extended their unbeaten run under Kasper Hjulmand to five competitive matches after playing out a 1-1 draw with PSV Eindhoven at the BayArena.
Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 PSV Eindhoven
Goals: 1-0 Kofane 65', 1-1 Sabari 72' (assist: Til)
Leverkusen were on top for long spells in the first half, with Alejandro Grimaldo striking the woodwork and former PSV attacker Malik Tillman putting the rebound wide inside 11 minutes.
Die Werkself had been given a scare not long before, but ex-Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg winger Ivan Perišić's header was ruled out for offside.
Leverkusen contined to carry the greater threat as their very own Matěj Kovář - on a season-long loan at PSV - made himself big to prevent Tillman breaking the deadlock in a promising one-on-one.
Bayer also threatened twice with headers from corners before the half was up.
Ernest Poku found the side netting soon after the restart, before Leverkusen got the opener their play deserved, helped by PSV's failed attempts to play out from the back.
Kofane was the beneficiary, the 19-year-old forward skipping in ahead of Kovář to tuck away his first Champions League goal.
Leverkusen's lead lasted less than 10 minutes, though, as Ismael Saibari whipped a superb effort into the top corner as Hjulmand's side were held to a second successive Champions League draw.
Match stats
- Leverkusen boss Hjulmand has won two and drawn three since taking over from Erik ten Hag.
- Kofane scored his second goal in eight games for Leverkusen. He also has an assist.
- Tillman made 15 Champions League appearances for PSV, scoring three goals.
- Kovář has made 32 appearances between the Leverkusen posts.
- Leverkusen had previously only hosted PSV once previously - an incredible 5-4 second-leg win in the 1994/95 UEFA Cup after the first leg in Eindhoven ended goalless.
- Bayer were the only German team to qualify automatically for last season's knockout rounds.
Teams
Leverkusen: Flekken - Quansah, Badé, Tapsoba - Tape (Arthur 42'), Fernández, García, Grimaldo (c) - Tillman (Maza 80'), Kofane (Echeverri 80'), Poku (Ben Seghir 73')
Unused subs: Blaswich, LombIzekor, Belocian
Out: Andrich (adductor), Hofmann (ineligible), Palacios (adductor), Sarco (ineligible), Schick (hamstring), Tella (knee), Terrier (ineligible), Vázquez (unconfirmed)
Coach: Kasper Hjulmand
PSV: Kovář - Mauro Júnior, Obispo (Flaminigo 66'), Gasiorowski, Salah-Eddine - Schouten (c), Saibari, Veerman - Man (Bajraktarevic 73'), Til, Perišić (Driouech 73')
Unused subs: Olij, Schiks, Wanner, Fernandez, Nagalo, Van Duiven
Out: Pepi (leg), Pléa (knee), Van Bommel (knee)
Coach: Peter Bosz
As it happened!
1 - 1(0 - 0)
Leverkusen
FINAL
PSV
90' +3
Grimaldo almost wins it
Maza does well to snaffle up a loose ball that drops into the path of Grimaldo. The Spaniard has the chance to shoot from the edge of the box, but Kovář gets down well to make the save.
90' +2
vs
Ismael Saibari
90'
Four minutes added on
Still time for a winner here.
87'
PSV looking the more likely
The visitors are continuing to look threatening, but there is also space for Leverkusen on the counter.
81'
Another good effort from Saibari
The Moroccan has been at the heart of everything for PSV today. Now he is found on the edge of the box and strikes one with his left that goes over the bar.
80'
vs
Ibrahim Maza
Malik Tillman
80'
vs
Claudio Echeverri
Christian Kofane
78'
PSV on top
The visitors have really stepped things up a gear since that equaliser, and Leverkusen are struggling to deal with the increased intensity.
73'
vs
Couhaib Driouech
Ivan Perišić
73'
vs
Esmir Bajraktarević
Dennis Man
73'
vs
Eliesse Ben Seghir
Ernest Poku
66'
vs
Ryan Flamingo
Armando Obispo
65'
vs
Guus Til
62'
Grimaldo keeping Leverkusen ticking
The Spaniard has been at the heart of everything good from the hosts tonight, producing some delightful passes.
60'
Another dangerous Leverkusen corner
The hosts had some joy in the first half from set-pieces, and again Badé gets on the end of one, but his effort goes wide.
57'
Not Tillman's day so far
Things just aren't quite clicking for Tillman against his former club. He has lost the ball a couple of times and missed that big chance earlier. Now he sees his shot deflect back off the defender for a goal kick.
52'
Veerman has a try
The PSV midfielder finds himself in a bit of space in the middle and decides to have a crack, but his effort is high and wide.
48'
Poku dazzling
The Dutchman skips past his man on the left before driving a shot towards the near post that hits the side netting. Unlucky.
46'
Back underway
Can either side find the breakthrough in the second half?
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
45'
Two minutes added on
Not long now until the break.
42'
Tape's race is run
The 18-year-old has started this game well, but he clearly felt something during his last sprint forward, and now he will have to be replaced. Arthur takes his place.
42'
vs
Arthur
Axel Tape
41'
Good football
Man drifts in from the right and feeds a pinpoint pass through to Perišić, but the Croatian can't keep his effort under control, and the ball flies high and wide of the goal.
38'
Badé heads wide from the corner
From the resulting corner, Badé gets up highest, but his header drifts wide to the right.
37'
Inches from the opener
Grimaldo whips in a delightful free-kick from the right that is deflected just wide via a combination of PSV defenders.
34'
Better from PSV
The visitors have improved in the last few minutes. Good play down the right nearly led to a chance for Saibari a couple of minutes ago, and now PSV have a corner after good work down the left. They look dangerous in the air too.
29'
Dominant Leverkusen
The hosts have controlled this game since that disallowed goal, having eight shots in comparison to none from PSV.
24'
A huge chance for the former PSV man
Grimaldo drifts centrally before playing a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Tillman, but the American can't squeeze his effort past the goalkeeper. That was easily the best chance of the game.
19'
Tabsoba almost finds a way through
Tapsoba almost manages to score in back-to-back games after getting up well from the resulting corner, but he can't quite get his header on target.
18'
Leverkusen on top
The hosts have responded well to that disallowed PSV goal. Poku becomes the latest to add to the shot count after good battling from Kofane and Tillman. Poku's effort is deflected out for a corner.
15'
García tries his luck
The Spanish midfielder finds himself in a bit of space in the centre and has a go, but his long-range effort drifts wide.
14'
Poku has a go
The youngster skips inside from the left before drilling in a low shot, but his effort is comfortably saved by Kovář.
11'
Grimaldo hits the post
Grimaldo is found in the box and heads towards the byline before deciding to shoot from the angle instead of crossing. The Spaniard gets everything behind the shot, but the ball bounces clear off the woodwork. Tillman then tries an effort from the rebound that squirms wide.
9'
Both sides exchanging possession
We're yet to see a shot on goal so far, other than the disallowed goal. Both sides have been exchanging phases of possession, but not creating chances.
4'
The visitors have the ball in the net
But it won't count. Former Bayern man, Perišić, nods the ball home after a delightful cross from the right from Man, but after a review, the Croatian is given offside. That is a let-off for Leverkusen, who were court napping for a moment.
1'
We're underway
Can Leverkusen get their first Champions League win of the season?
0 - 0
Kick-off!
Players on the pitch
The famous Champions League anthem is ringing around the stadium, not long until kick-off now.
Kick-off fast approaching
The players are in the tunnel, not long now until we get underway.
A strong record on home turf
Leverkusen are in great form on home turf in group/league phase European football, winning their last seven.
Leverkusen starting XI
Flekken - Quansah, Badé, Tapsoba - Tape, Fernández, García, Grimaldo (c) - Tillman, Poku - Kofane.
Leverkusen subs
Blaswich, Lomb, Echeverri, Arthur, Ben Seghir, Maza, Izekor, Belocian.
PSV starting XI
Kovář - Mauro Júnior, Obispo, Gasiorowski, Salah-Eddine - Schouten (c), Saibari, Veerman - Man, Til, Perišić.
PSV subs
Olij, Schiks, Flaminigo, Wanner, Driouech, Bajraktarevic, Fernandez, Nagalo, Van Duiven.
Leverkusen's youth setting the benchmark
Ahead of tonight's main event, Leverkusen and PSV's youth sides faced off today, with the home side fighting back from 2-1 down at the break to win 3-2. That means the Werkself U19 have now won two out of two in the UEFA Youth League.