Synopsis
On March 17, Patrik Schick's late goal secured a thrilling 4-3 comeback victory for Leverkusen against Stuttgart, keeping them in the Bundesliga title race. The match featured multiple lead changes and showcased Leverkusen's resilience as they closed the gap on Bayern Munich.Key Takeaways
- Leverkusen staged an impressive comeback.
- Patrik Schick scored the decisive goal.
- Stuttgart struggled with a fifth straight game without a win.
- Jeremie Frimpong played a crucial role in the match.
- Leverkusen is now only six points behind Bayern Munich.
Berlin, March 17 (NationPress) Patrik Schick's stoppage-time goal clinched a thrilling 4-3 comeback victory for Leverkusen against Stuttgart, keeping them firmly in the race for the Bundesliga championship.
The match kicked off with a rapid tempo, and Stuttgart took the lead in the 15th minute when Ermedin Demirovic reacted swiftly to a rebound, calmly slotting the ball home after Lukas Hradecky initially denied Jamie Leweling.
Stuttgart extended its advantage shortly after halftime. Nick Woltemade executed a well-coordinated play with Enzo Millot before finishing with finesse, placing the ball past Hradecky, according to reports from Xinhua.
Jeremie Frimpong provided Leverkusen with hope in the 56th minute, gathering a loose ball outside the box and sending a low shot into the bottom corner.
Stuttgart quickly restored its two-goal lead six minutes later. A perilous cross from the right was deflected by Granit Xhaka, leaving Hradecky wrong-footed.
Leverkusen demonstrated its resilience as Piero Hincapie scored from close range in the 68th minute, narrowing the score to 3-2 and setting the stage for an exhilarating finish.
With Leverkusen pressing for an equalizer, Victor Boniface delivered a cross in the 88th minute that Angelo Stiller inadvertently turned into his own net under pressure.
With the momentum swinging in their favor, Leverkusen surged forward in search of a winner, which came deep into stoppage time. Frimpong sent in an accurate cross from the right, and Schick leapt highest to power a header past goalkeeper Alexander Nubel.
With this victory, Leverkusen reduced the gap to Bayern Munich to six points with eight matches remaining. In contrast, Stuttgart will regret its fifth consecutive game without a win.
"This is a crucial win for us. There are still eight games left, and a lot can happen," stated Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso.
In other news, Eintracht Frankfurt solidified its fourth position in the table after defeating relegation-threatened Bochum 3-1, while Heidenheim triumphed over Holstein Kiel with a score of 3-1 in a match between bottom teams.
