2021 European Apertura Top 25 (7 of 25)

2^nd-place Leverkusen had scored 8 goals in their two previous games under new manager Gerardo Seoane, but Marco Rose’s 5^th-place Borussia Dortmund were not far behind, having crushed Eintracht Frankfurt 5-2 on the opening day before following losses to Bayern Munich (in the DFL Super Cup) and SC Freiburg with a stoppage time 3-2 winner against an excellent Hoffenheim side.

Leverkusen were the better side early on, creating several chances and scoring off a Florian Wirtz opportunity created by a Raphaël Guerreiro turnover. Dortmund battled back late in the half, equalizing off an Erling Haaland header and appearing to go ahead with a Jude Bellingham goal assisted by another Haaland header. But the goal was contentiously disallowed for a foul deep in the build up, and in stoppage time Patrik Schick put Leverkusen back in front.

Julien Brandt brought Dortmund back level at the start of the second half, only to have Moussa Diaby restore Leverkusen lead off a corner kick shortly before the hour mark. Guerreiro equalized yet again off a free kick with 20’ remaining, and 5’ later VAR identified a foul in the penalty box by Odilon Kossousnou on Marco Reus that Haaland converted for the game-winner.

Leverkusen would quickly return to winning ways and entered the winter break 4^th place in the Bundesliga and having qualified for the Round of 16 in the Europa league. Tactical Analysis from: The Mastermind Site, Total Football Analysis, Sports Leo.