Berliner Tageblatt - Late Schick double extends Leverkusen's unbeaten run

NYSE - LSE
CMSC 1.56% 20.48 $
CMSD 1.41% 20.63 $
RIO 1.32% 94.115 $
RBGPF 0% 65 $
NGG 1.61% 76.56 $
BCE 1.24% 20.17 $
AZN -0.27% 157.27 $
BTI 0.73% 52.74 $
GSK -0.35% 47.015 $
BCC 1.39% 75.75 $
RELX 0.45% 33.64 $
JRI 1.19% 10.9 $
RYCEF 0.61% 19.52 $
BP -0.38% 44.33 $
VOD 2.76% 16.845 $
Late Schick double extends Leverkusen's unbeaten run
Late Schick double extends Leverkusen's unbeaten run / Photo: © AFP

Late Schick double extends Leverkusen's unbeaten run

Patrik Schick scored two goals in stoppage time to rescue Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten run and their dreams of a remarkable treble with a 3-2 (5-4 aggregate) home win over Qarabag in their Europa League last-16 second leg on Thursday.

Text size:

The win keeps Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen unbeaten after 37 matches this season, sending them through to the last eight of the Europa League.

With Leverkusen 2-1 down on the 90-minute mark, the Czech striker -- who scored in stoppage time in the first leg to level the scores at 2-2 -- scored in the 93rd and 98th minutes to turn the game on its head.

After fighting back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 in Baku, Leverkusen, one of the favourites to win the Europa League, were heavily tipped to beat the Azerbaijani outsiders at home.

After going to half-time locked at 0-0, Qarabag took the lead midway through the second-half, Abdellah Zoubir turning in a cross from Leandro Andrade.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men shortly after when Elvin Jafarguliyev was sent off, his yellow card upgraded to a red by VAR for a challenge on Frimpong.

Despite the disadvantage, Qarabag doubled their lead just five minutes later through Juninho.

Leverkusen pulled a goal back through Jeremie Frimpong shortly after to keep hope alive.

Striker Schick, who had been criticised for not scoring in seven league games since December, got a boot to an Alex Grimaldo cross to level the scores after 93 minutes.

With the match seemingly headed for added time, Schick scored again, heading in another Grimaldo assist for a remarkable win.

The win keeps unbeaten Leverkusen's dream of a remarkable treble alive, with Alonso's side 10 points clear in the Bundesliga with nine games to play and in the German Cup semi-finals.

O.Bulka--BTB