A perfect start sometimes fails to end up with the desired result. The young Bayer 04 team have certainly learnt that lesson in today’s away game against Karlsruhe SC on matchday 12. With 24 minutes gone, the Werkself were 3-0 up. The final score was 3-3 and Bayer had to settle for a single point following four wins in a row.

It all started so well. Bruno Labbadia was again able to field his best current eleven in Karlsruhe’s Wildpark stadium. And his side were out of the blocks in a flash: The late arrivals in the 28,238 crowd had still not taken their seats as Bayer 04 celebrated for the first time in the match.

Arturo Vidal reacted smartly after winning the ball, sending Patrick Helmes away down the left. The striker had a one on one against KSC keeper Markus Miller and was able to calmly slot the ball home to put Bayer 1-0 up in the first minute. Indeed the clock showed 32 seconds gone. The early lead set Bayer 04 up. The Werkself were strong in the middle of the park and piled the pressure on an uncertain Karlsruhe side who were on a run of five successive defeats.

Three shots, three goals

It was all one-way traffic at this point. KSC could only look on in astonishment. On 17 minutes Stefan Kießling was on the spot to head in a Renato Augusto cross to make it 2-0. And just seven minutes later Michal Kadlec stepped up to strike a 25 yard free-kick into the KSC net- his first Bundesliga goal. All was going to plan.

René Adler had little to do up to then, and that was also the case for his opposite number. Bayer’s first threat efforts on the KSC goal ended up in Miller’s net. Leverkusen were in control of the game in the first half. Karlsruhe struggled to find their rhythm and their lone striker Joshua Kennedy was on his own against Manuel Friedrich and Henrique.

Deflected free-kick is turning point

Everything pointed to another successful day’s work for Bayer 04. But then KSC’s guests unintentionally contributed to their own downfall. Eight minutes before the break, the Bayer wall deflected an Antonio da Silva free-kick that left Adler stranded and ended up in the back of the net to make the score 3-1. This was the first time in 397 minutes that Bayer’s international keeper had conceded a goal. Karlsruhe saw their chance.

KSC came out for the second-half with renewed purpose and determination. All over the pitch Bayer were unable to repeat their first-half performance. This encouraged Karlsruhe but the hosts did not appear to present an imminent threat.A dead ball situation put added spice into the game as the KSC defender Tim Sebastian found the space in the Bayer six yard box to head home a da Silva free-kick on the hour mark.

Bayer top Bundesliga

With their fans behind them, KSC came into the game more and more while Bayer found it difficult to keep up. With fifteen minutes to go Karlsruhe coach Edmund Becker brought on two forwards and went on the attack in the final phase of the match. Becker was rewarded a couple of minutes later when Stefano Celozzi won the ball in midfield, crossed from the right for substitute Alexander Iashvili to head in the equaliser on 76 minutes.

KSC wanted more but Bayer were able to offer the necessary resistance and substitute Theofanis Gekas had a chance to score. When the final whistle was blown the home side were clearly delighted. Bayer were left with one point. "You get games like this one. It’s difficult to explain how an opponent can turn things round like that,” declared  left back Kadlec after the game.

Bayer 04 are now unbeaten for five games and go into next weekend’s home clash with Schalke on 25 points - and as league leaders. 1899 Hoffenheim lost 1-0 against Hertha Berlin on Sunday and are now in second spot due to an inferior goal difference to the Werkself. So Bayer 04 have reaped a delayed benefit from the draw in Karlsruhe.

Karlsruhe SC: Miller - Celozzi, Stoll, Sebastian, Eichner, Mutzel, Aduobe, Freis, da Silva, Carnell, Kennedy

Bayer 04: Adler - Castro, Friedrich, Henrique, Kadlec, Rolfes, Renato Augusto, Vidal, Barnetta, Helmes, Kießling

Goals: 0:1 Helmes (1), 0:2 Kießling (17), 0:3 Kadlec (24), 1:3 da Silva (37) 2:3 Sebastian (60), 3:3 Iashvili (76)

Substitutions: Iashvili for Carnell (61), Kapllani for Kennedy (74), Timm for Aduobe (74.) - Schwegler for Renato Augusto (67), Gekas for Helmes (78)

Bookings: Celozzi - Helmes, Henrique, Vidal

Referee: Perl (Munich)

Attendance: 28,238