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Patrik Schick equalized late on

Photo: Giorgi Arjevanidze / AFP

Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen's streak continues - but it was close: In the Europa League first leg against Azerbaijani champions Qarabağ Ağdam, coach Xabi Alonso's team averted their first competitive defeat of the season and played 2-2 (0-2). .

Yassine Benzia (26th minute) and Juninho (45th+1) punished a careless Leverkusen twice before the half-time break.

Florian Wirtz, who came on as a substitute in the second half, shortened the score with a lob (70'), before Patrik Schick equalized in stoppage time (90'+2).

1:0 away, 5:1 at home – Bayer and Qarabağ had already met twice in the group phase, and the Bundesliga club had little trouble on both occasions.

The Leverkusen team traveled to Baku, where Qarabağ plays its home games, with corresponding confidence.

Perhaps too self-confident: Alonso swapped eight positions compared to the 2-0 win over 1. FC Köln at the Bundesliga weekend, and top performers such as Jeremie Frimpong, Granit Xhaka and Wirtz found themselves on the bench.

Leverkusen had already skipped the round of 16 as group winners.

However, the plan to save energy in the round of 16 didn't work out: the Werkself's possession of the ball resulted in virtually no chances, and conversely, Qarabağ's lively attackers kept picking up the pace and putting Bayer in trouble.

Juninho heralded the first phase of pressure with a finish that Leverkusen's cup goalkeeper Matej Kovár was able to defuse (24').

Qarabağ makes steam, Wirtz does magic

After the following corner, Marko Janković hit the post from the backcourt (25th).

Things didn't get any quieter, Juninho stole the ball from Tah's foot and set the scene for Benzia, who scored the overdue 1-0 (26th).

This balance of power remained the same until the half-time whistle; Qarabağ coped much better in the rain in Baku.

Leandro Andrade missed with a header from a tight angle to make it 2-0 (36th), Juninho then did better when he ran the ball almost into the goal on a counterattack and let the home team celebrate a second time (45th + 1).

Alonso adjusted: Frimpong came on at the break, followed by Wirtz and Xhaka in the 58th minute.

The successful axis from the league was back on the pitch - and Bayer was now better in the game: After combining with Amine Adli, Wirtz finished and tested ex-Leverkusen player Andrey Lunev in the Qarabağ goal (61').

The scene was preceded by an offside position - a goal by Edmond Tapsoba would have counted, but Lunev was also there against the central defender who had moved up (63').

Bayer now appeared like the favorites.

Wirtz intercepted a pass from Qarabağ's playmaker Abedellah Zoubir, and a remarkable lob made the connection (70').

Kovár parried a dangerous counter-attack against Juninho (83'), before Robert Andrich discovered his inner cross god and first set up Schick's header (90'+2) and then set up Frimpong, who made it 3-2 from close range missed (90th + 4).

Leverkusen now has the chance to move into the quarter-finals with a win in their own stadium on Thursday, March 14th (9 p.m., stream: RTL).

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