19.12.2009

Borussia go down 2-3 in Leverkusen

In a thrilling Bundesliga encounter Borussia took a 2-1 lead before eventually losing 3-2 at Bayer Leverkusen, who go into the winter break top of the table. Roel Brouwers and Dante got the goals for Borussia.

As had looked likely in the run-up, Michael Frontzeck was forced to change the side that has done so well in recent weeks. Karim Matmour sat out the final Bundesliga game of the year and was replaced by Raul Bobadilla. On a pitch that was in good condition despite the freezing temperatures the game was a lively affair from the outset. Borussia announced their intent with just four minutes gone, quickly moving the ball upfield from their own penalty area, only for the final pass, from Juan Arango to Marco Reus, to go astray. Six minutes later Reus fashioned an opening for team-mate Bobadilla, but his touch was slightly too heavy. Leverkusen then began to edge the possession without, however, creating any clear-cut opportunities. Defender Sami Hyppia had two efforts on goal from corners, but failed to find the net.

Kroos gives home side the lead

The Finn showed more accuracy in the 18th minute when, instead of going for goal again himself, he elected to knock the ball back to Toni Kroos, who scored his fifth goal of the season with a shot that took a fortunate deflection off Dante. That meant that if the score stayed 1-0 the home side would top of the table at Christmas. All in all Leverkusen were worth their lead and yet it seemed only a matter of time before Borussia would break through with one of their own chances. It was touch and go on half an hour when Thorben Marx slipped the ball forward, but Germany keeper René Adler was alert to the danger and rushed out of his goal to defuse the situation. Borussia had lacked a cutting edge in front of goal but that was to change very quickly. With 36 minutes gone Bobadilla forced Adler into a brilliant save with a fine shot from outside the box, and from the resulting corner Roel Brouwers added another chapter to a story that has been developing all season. Rob Friend won an aerial duel with Manuel Friedrich to send in a powerful header that Adler was unable to hang on to, and Brouwers was in exactly the right place to notch what is already his fifth goal of the campaign. And once again it was clear from the loudness of the roar just how many Borussia supporters had made their way to the Rhine. The goal visibly knocked the stuffing out of the league leaders and they struggled to work the ball out of their own half. Another telling sign was that Leverkusen's central defensive pairing of Friedrich and Hyypia were both shown yellow cards within two minutes of each other.

Dante puts Borussia ahead but Bayer hit back

Borussia came out for the second half looking to carry on where they had left off in the first and that is exactly what they did. Though they were slightly fortunate not to give away a penalty after a challenge by Dante, Borussia now posed a tremendous threat going forward. Raul Bobadilla darted away on the break and it took a last-ditch tackle by Friedrich to stop him. And as when they equalised, Borussia struck again from the resulting corner. This time it was the other central defender, Dante, who got on the scoresheet, bundling the ball over the line at the third attempt. With that the game was by no means over, of course, and Leverkusen upped the tempo once more. With an hour gone Arturo Vidal forced his way into the Borussia penalty area. The ball initially seemed to have been blocked, but then found its way to Eren Derdiyok, who gave Logan Bailly no chance with a crisp drive. Leverkusen continued to drive forward, aware that a draw would not be enough to see them top the table over Christmas, and the increasing pressure finally told in the 69th minute when Kroos fired them ahead again with his second of the afternoon. Derdiyok and Friedrich had already had chances to make it 3-2, but had been denied by Bailly. Yet Borussia had a marvellous chance to level the scores again in the 77th minute when Arango played an inch-perfect pass to Bobadilla, only for the Argentine striker to push the ball too far forward, allowing Adler the chance to gather it. In the closing stages Frontzeck opted to play first with three attackers and then with four, but Borussia were unable to fashion any more chances as dangerous as the one for Bobadilla.

In what was a tremendous game in view of the conditions Borussia were fated not to come away from Leverkusen with a point.

Leverkusen: Adler – Schwaab (Kadlec 60'), Friedrich, Hyypia, Castro – Vidal, Reinartz – Barnetta, Kroos – Kiessling, Derdiyok (Sarpei 89')

Borussia: Bailly – Levels, Brouwers, Dante, Jaurès (Colautti 86') – Marx (Lamidi 79'), Bradley – Reus, Arango, Bobadilla (Neuville 78'), Friend

Goals: 1-0 Kroos (18'), 1-1 Brouwers (36'), 1-2 Dante (54'), 2-2 Derdiyok (60'), 3-2 Kroos (69')

Yellow cards: Friedrich, Hyypiä – Jaurès

Attendance: 30,210 (sold out)

Referee: Dr Jochen Drees