Bundesliga
Leverkusen make UEFA Europa League semi-finals
Moussa Diaby opened the scoring as Bayer Leverkusen fired four in a wonderful win at Union Saint-Gilloise to clinch their place in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals.
Saint-Gilloise 1-4 Bayer Leverkusen (agg: 2-5)
Goals: 0-1 Diaby 2', 0-2 Bakker 37’ (assist: Hlozek), 0-3 Frimpong 60', 1-3 Terho (assist: Lapoussin), 1-4 Hlozek 79'
Despite being held to a 1-1 draw in the home leg, Leverkusen made the short journey to Brussels confident of progression with an 11-match unbeaten run behind them. They made a dream start, with Florian Wirtz tearing forward and Senne Lynen accidentally slotting the ball behind his own defence for Diaby to fire the visitors in front with just 66 seconds on the clock. The Werkself continued to show their intent with a series of fluent and pacy attacks that led to Jeremie Frimpong having a shot deflected behind and Diaby hitting wide. The hosts pushed towards the end of the first half without troubling an accomplished Leverkusen defence. They left extra space for Leverkusen to exploit on the break to deadly effect – Diaby charging forward and hitting it to Adam Hlozek on the right, whose cross was tapped under the Saint-Gilloise goalkeeper by Mitchel Bakker.
Saint-Gilloise looked to force a wayx back in the second period, with Victor Boniface heading over, but continued to offer Leverkusen ample opportunity to threaten on the break. Bakker pressed at the goalkeeper who passed straight to Jeremie Frimpong - who was delighted to slot the ball straight past him for 3-0. Saint-Gilloise struck back minutes later, with Loic Lapoussin providing some excellent supply work to cross for Casper Terho, who swivelled and shot straight in. Boniface was then almost played in at the far post from Teddy Tuema's chipped cross as the hosts sensed a comeback was on. Simon Adingra rattled the crossbar with around 20 minutes left, but Leverkusen remained calm in the face of the attempted onslaught. Hlozek's strike around 10 minutes from time on the rebound after Diaby's effort was saved secured their progression to the last four, where Jose Mourinho's Roma await.
Match stats
- Diaby is Leverkusen's biggest attacking threat this season, with 14 goals and eight assists in all competitions, including three and one respectively in the Europa League.
- Bakker scored his fourth goal of the season and first ever in a European competition.
- Frimpong is Bayer's top provider with 10 assists, including four in UEFA competition. He now has nine goals.
- Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen are unbeaten in their last five Europa League games, winning four.
- Leverkusen have made the last four of a European competition for the first time since 2001/02 - when they reached the UEFA Champions League final.
- Leverkusen won away in Belgium for the second time - after a 2-0 win at Lierse SK in the UEFA Champions League in November 1997.
Teams
St. Gilloise: Moris - Nieuwkoop, Kandouss (Terho 46'), Burgess, Machida - Lynen, Teuma (c) (El Azzouzi 87'), Lapoussin - Vertessen (Adingra 32'), Amani (Puertas 81'), Boniface (Nilsson 81')
Unused subs: Imbrechts, Fellous, Eckert, Sykes, Huygevelde
Out: Van der Heyden (suspended)
Coach: Karel Geraerts
Leverkusen: Hradecky (c) - Tapsoba (Kossounou 59'), Tah, Hincapie - Frimpong (Adli 71'), Andrich, Amiri (Demirbay 59'), Bakker - Diaby (Bellarabi 86'), Wirtz - Hlozek (Azmoun 86')
Unused subs: Pentz, Lomb, Fosu-Mensah, Azhil
Out: Lunev (back), Palacios (muscular), Schick (groin)
Coach: Xabi Alonso
As it happened
1 - 4(0 - 2)
Union SG
FINAL
Leverkusen
vs
Leverkusen through to Europa League semi-finals!
What a performance by Alonso's men. They run out 4-1 winners on the night to progress 5-2 on aggregate. Roma or Feyenoord await in the last four!
90'
vs
Final stretch
Machida does really again to stop Azmoun collecting a ball over the top and racing through on goal. Three minutes have been added on...
89'
vs
Chance for a fifth!
Bellarabi's through on goal, but he's a bit slow to get off his shot. That allows Machida to get back and knock him off his stride as he fires straight at the keeper.
87'
vs
Oussama El Azzouzi
Teddy Teuma
86'
vs
Deserved breather
Diaby and Hlozek have been a real thorn in the side of Gilloise. They make way for Bellarabi and Azmoun, with a place in the semi-finals in the bag...
86'
vs
Sardar Azmoun
Adam Hložek
86'
vs
Karim Bellarabi
Moussa Diaby
81'
vs
Gustaf Nilsson
Victor Boniface
81'
vs
Cameron Puertas
Lazare Amani
79'
vs
Hlozek!!!
Leverkusen restore their three-goal cushion to all but extinguish Gilloise's hopes of a comeback. Bakker leads the charge and feeds Diaby's run. His shot is well saved, but there's no stopping Hlozek sinking the rebound.
71'
vs
Fresh legs
Adli's on for Leverkusen. He'll look to stretch Gilloise on the break as they chase the two goals needed to level the tie and force extra time...
74'
vs
Crucial block!
Andrich slides in to stop Lynen converting on the rebound after Kossounou had got in the way of Boniface's strike. Leverkusen living dangerously...
75'
vs
Teddy Teuma
71'
vs
Amine Adli
Jeremie Frimpong
70'
vs
Woodwork!
Adingra cuts in off the left and leaves Hradecky rooted to the spot with a curling shot that grazes the upright. It wouldn't have counted, though - the Gilloise sub had strayed offside.
68'
vs
A whisker away!
Leverkusen get away with one as Boniface fails to make contact with Teuma's back-post cross. Bayer must ride this spell of Gilloise pressure.
65'
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Gilloise pull a goal back!
Substitute Casper Terho fires in with the aid of a deflection after Wirtz gets caught in possession following a Gilloise free-kick that Hradecky managed to punch clear. Crucial that Bayer keep a cool head, here...
60'
vs
Daylight for Leverkusen!
Burgess sells his goalkeeper short, who miscues a pass out from the back under pressure from Bakker. It's straight to Frimpong, who rolls in one of the easiest goals of his career. Bayer tantalisingly close now...
59'
vs
Fresh legs
Demirbay and Kossounou are on in a pair of like-for-like changes. Leverkusen take on top-six rivals Leipzig on Sunday, remember.
59'
vs
Kerem Demirbay
Nadiem Amiri
59'
vs
Odilon Kossounou
Edmond Tapsoba
53'
vs
Working hard
Leverkusen are shading the possession count, but are having to do a little more off the ball this second half.
48'
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Danger signs
Lapoussin tries to find Boniface with a searching left-wing cross, but it's got too much on it and the Gilloise striker heads over on the stretch.
48'
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Quick break!
Leverkusen turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye. Hlozek spins away from his marker, but doesn't spot the run of Wirtz, who had pulled away unmarked to his left. Instead he tries to find Diaby and Gilloise get it clear.
46'
vs
Big 45 minutes ahead!
Gilloise with an attacking switch. Leverkusen are unchanged.
46'
vs
Casper Terho
Ismael Kandouss
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
44'
vs
Time added on
Two minutes at the end of a first half that has gone pretty swimmingly for Leverkusen...
42'
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Over!
Teuma swings in a free-kick from the left. Machida has the leap on Andrich, but heads over. Let-off for Leverkusen - a St. Gilloise goal before the break would have transformed the mood inside the stadium.
38'
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Leverkusen extend their lead!
It gets better for Bayer! Wirtz and Diaby combine in the centre of midfield to put St. Gilloise on the back foot. The ball is shifted out to Hlozek, who arrows an inch-perfect cross towards the back post, where Bakker ghosts in unmarked to apply the finishing touch. Leverkusen now lead 3-1 on aggregate!
32'
vs
Enforced change
Vertessen appeared to pull his groin in a challenge with Tah just now. Adingra's on in his stead.
32'
vs
Simon Adingra
Yorbe Vertessen
29'
vs
No way through
Gilloise move the ball well, but Bakker holds his ground in the box to snuff out the threat. Expertly done.
21'
vs
Chance!
Leverkusen patiently roll the ball from right to left. Bakker injects a bit of pace to proceedings to go past his man and send a low cross into the six-yard box. Hlozek sticks out a boot, but is a touch late and the chance is gone.
17'
vs
Leverkusen in charge
Alonso's charges are beginning to take charge after that mini wobble following Diaby's opening goal. Wirtz feeds the Frenchman's run into the box, but the angle's tight and he sends a rushed effort wide.
9'
vs
End to end
Leverkusen go up the other end with Frimpong, whose shot is deflected behind for a corner. Diaby slides it to Hlozek on the edge of the area and gets it back via Wirtz, before the move breaks down. The big boys were in the mixer, too. That's a shame.
7'
vs
Boniface threat
Here comes the Nigerian striker again, weaving this way and that in the Leverkusen box. He gets the better of Tapsoba, but Hincapie blocks the cross behind for a corner that comes to nothing. Alonso is not impressed.
4'
vs
Warning shot
Roared on a by a vociferous Belgian crowd, Boniface has an effort charged down by Tah. He scored in Leverkusen in the first leg and will need to be kept in check.
2'
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Leverkusen lead!
What a start for Leverkusen! Wirtz causes panic in the Gilloise defence with a driving run. The ball breaks clear, but a touch from Teuma to take it off the toe of Hlozek inadvertently plays Diaby in on goal. He gobbles up the invite, rounding the keeper and slotting Bayer into a 2-1 aggregate lead.
1'
vs
Under way!
The ball's rolling in Belgium - St. Gilloise in yellow and blue, Leverkusen in red.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
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The teams are on the pitch
Time for the UEFA Europa League anthem, then we can get underway...you can feel the excitement!
First-leg report
Florian Wirtz secured Bayer Leverkusen a 1-1 draw against Union Saint-Gilloise in their UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg at the BayArena.
Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Saint-Gilloise
Goals: 0-1 Boniface 51' (assist: Teuma), 1-1 Wirtz 82' (assist: Azmoun)
Enjoying a seven-match winning run in all competitions, Leverkusen made a lively start. With just three minutes on the clock, Saint-Gilloise goalkeeper Anthony Moris was forced to save at the feet of Wirtz, who shot wide moments later. The visitors gave as good as they got, though, and had already gone close through Victor Boniface, when Lazare Amani clipped the woodwork from range. Lukas Hradecky saved well from Boniface as the Belgians turned the screw, before the goal frame prevented Ismael Kandouss from heading in a corner. Bayer responded in kind, with Moussa Diaby twice dragging wide either side of a golden opportunity for Piero Hincapie, who failed to hit the target with a header following a mistake by Moris.
Leverkusen were up against it after the restart as Boniface fired Saint-Gilloise ahead. Hradecky had to be alert to stop Yorbe Vertessen going through on goal with Gilloise's next attack, but Bayer rode the storm and managed to wrestle back momentum in the closing stages. Jeremie Frimpong miscued from close range, before Wirtz collected a pass from substitute Sardar Azmoun and drove an unstoppable equaliser into the top corner. Kerem Demirbay shot over and Azmoun tickled the side netting as Leverkusen pushed for a late winner. It wasn't forthcoming, but Xabi Alonso will be quietly confident of getting the result needed in next week's decisive return leg in Belgium.