Bayer 04 reached the semi-finals of the Rheinland Cup in front of a 14,000 crowd at the LANXESS arena in Cologne. The Werkself lost to TuS Koblenz 3-2 on penalties. Before that, Leverkusen beat second division sides FC St. Pauli 6-3 and Alemannia Aachen 4-1. Renato Augusto was the outstanding player of the tournament and Bayer 04’s top scorer with four goals.

Werkself sail through group stage

Rolfes and Co. had to come back from behind in the opening game. Second division St. Pauli led 3-1 at the break. But Renato Augusto made all the difference in the second ten minutes. His two goals in succession put Bayer level. Castro, Friedrich and Sukuta-Pasu netted to put the tie beyond doubt.

Bayer 04 outclassed second division Alemannia Aachen from the start. Renato Augusto put the Werkself in front after six minutes, Manuel Friedrich made it 2-0 before Aachen pulled a goal back before the break. Captain Simon Rolfes bagged the third goal in the second half before Renato Augusto rounded off the 4-1 win with an excellent effort.

Semi-final setback

Bayer 04. faced another second division side in the semi-final. The Werkself limited the opposition’s chances but found it equally difficult to penetrate the Koblenz defence. As neither team found the back of the net in the two ten minute halves the tie went to penalties.

Renato Augusto and Gonzalo Castro confidently converted their penalties but Bayer 04 captain Simon Rolfes missed the first one. Koblenz ran out 3-2 winners. "We didn’t lose a single game in Cologne or Dortmund but went down twice on penalties. The team played very well overall and showed great discipline," summed up coach Bruno Labbadia.

Four changes to squad

Coach Bruno Labbadia made four changes to his squad day after finishing second in the indoor tournament in Dortmund. Tranquillo Barnetta, Michal Kadlec, Karim Haggui and Patrick Helmes, who missed out in Dortmund due to illness, were replaced by Renato Augusto, Sascha Dum, Constant Djakpa and Jens Hegeler.

The two keepers Erik Domaschke and Benedikt Fernandez plus Manuel Friedrich, Gonzalo Castro, Simon Rolfes, Richard Sukuta-Pasu and Stefan Kießling completed the line-up on the artificial surface in Cologne.

Stats:

Bayer 04 v St. Pauli 6-3 (Renato Augusto (2), Kießling, Castro, Friedrich, Sukuta-Pasu)

Bayer 04 v Alemannia Aachen 4-1 (Renato Augusto (2), Friedrich, Rolfes)

Bayer 04 v TuS Koblenz 2-3 on penalties (Pens: Rolfes misses, 1-1 Renato Augusto, 2-2 Castro)