Late drama propels Bayer Leverkusen to Europa League quarter-finals
- Planet Sport writer
- 15 March 2024
Bayer Leverkusen orchestrated a remarkable Europa League comeback with two injury-time goals to secure a 3-2 (5-4 agg) victory over Qarabag FK at the BayArena.
Leverkusen showcased early dominance, with Amine Adli posing a threat to former teammate Andrey Lunev in goal. Despite concerns over Jonas Hofmann's injury, the first half remained relatively subdued and ended goalless.
Qarabag stunned Leverkusen by taking the lead through Abdellah Zoubir's header in the 58th minute. The momentum seemed to shift further when Elvin Cafarguliyev received a red card, reducing Qarabag to ten men.
However, they capitalized on the disadvantage, doubling their lead with Juninho's goal in the 67th minute.
Leverkusen fought back valiantly, with Jeremie Frimpong pulling one back in the 72nd minute.
The match appeared destined for extra time until substitute Patrik Schick emerged as the hero. In a dramatic turn of events, Schick netted twice in injury time, sealing Leverkusen's place in the quarter-finals amidst euphoric scenes at the BayArena.
The thrilling victory underscores Leverkusen's resilience and sets the stage for an exciting Europa League campaign ahead.
