Led by hat-trick Moussa Diaby, Bayer Leverkusen has secured a place in the Champions League in the Bundesliga. The team of coach Gerardo Seoane won against relegation candidate FC Augsburg well-deserved 5: 1 (2: 0) and in third place has a small buffer on the first place in the Europa League.
Thanks to the success, Bayer kept the series alive in the 22nd Bundesliga game against the “favorite opponent” from the Fugger city and remained undefeated.
Karim Bellarabi (9′) and Diaby (24′) gave Leverkusen the lead with goals well worth seeing. Augsburg, for which Arne Maier (62nd) scored his first Bundesliga goal, remains in relegation place 16 due to the ninth defeat of the season and has now been five league games without a win.
Diaby (65th/69th) increased with his double strike. Argentinian Lucas Alario (81st) scored the final score with a hack goal.
Instead of the usual 4-2-3-1, Bayer played in a 4-1-4-1, since the suspended Kerem Demirbay, Exequiel Palacios (back problems) and Julian Baumgartlinger (knee injury) were also missing as nominal sixes.
Leverkusen belongs to the initial phase
The opening minutes belonged to Leverkusen in front of 750 spectators. However, it became dangerous for the first time in front of Bayer keeper Lukas Hradecky’s goal after Jeremie Frimpong challenged the Finn after a cross from close range, under pressure from FCA record transfer Ricardo Pepi (6′). The Bayer offensive did better. After a great one-two from Mitchel Bakker and Diaby, Bakker found Bellarabi at the far post, who netted powerfully.
Augsburg was only briefly unimpressed. After Bellarabi FCA goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz tested from a distance, Hradecky was challenged on the other end against Maier (14′). That should have been it from the Augsburg side at first.
Leverkusen completely took control of the game, had 65 percent possession of the ball at times and combined at will. Gikiewicz just threw up his arms when Frimpong shot from close range (18′). After another remarkable combination from Patrik Schick and Amine Adli, Gikiewicz didn’t stand a chance against the free-standing, ice-cold Diaby.
Before the break, top scorer Schick should have made it 3-0 after receiving the ball nicely against Gikiewicz, who was rushing out. The FCA had no answers against the high pace of the Rhinelanders.
Gikiewicz by far the best Augsburger
In the second 45 minutes, Leverkusen let the engine run on the back burner. Adli (52nd) narrowly missed a direct acceptance. In return, Hradecky had to intervene against a harmless finish by storm talent Pepi. Gikiewicz, by far the best Augsburger, parried against Bellarabi (57th) after his own bad pass.
Then Leverkusen made it difficult for themselves: Substitute Florian Niederlechner didn’t accept a “gift” from Bayer defense chief Jonathan Tah. But Maier an uncontrolled rebound from Hradecky. Diaby then dashed the hopes of the guests.
