Hlozek debut in goalless draw with Panathinaikos

A stiff test at the training camp: The second match for Bayer 04 in the current pre-season against the reigning Greek Cup winners Panathinaikos was full of strong challenges and lots of tempo but neither side was able to find the back of the net. In front of 400 spectators at the Alois Latini Stadium in Zell am See, summer signing Adam Hlozek made his debut for the Black and Reds, Joel Pohjanpalo had two big chances in the second half on his return from a loan spell. The next friendly for the team under head coach Gerardo Seoane is against Italian club Udinese in four days on Thursday.

Gerardo Seoane included several international players in his starting line-up: Captain Lukas Hradecky returned between the sticks, Patrik Schick was up front from the start. The duo missed the first pre-season friendly against third division MSV Duisburg (6:1) as did Moussa Diaby and Sardar Azmoun. Summer signing Adam Hlozek made his debut for the Black and Reds in the second half.

Ahead of the game, referee Stefan Eder received an official farewell. The 33-year-old match official was a referee in the Austrian Bundesliga and he now ends his career with the match at the Alois Latini Stadium.

strong challenges, few chances

Both teams defied the blazing Austrian sun and temperatures of 30 degrees from the start. It quickly developed into an intense encounter albeit with few goalscoring opportunities for either side in the first half.

The Werkself mainly progressed down the right with the pace of Jeremie Frimpong and Diaby with PAOK attacks mostly stemming from left-back Christian Ganea. The two sides went into half-time with the score at 0-0 as the final ball failed to find the target.

second half: Pohjanpalo a threat from the start

Seoane made changes at half-time bringing on ten new players including Ayman Azhil and Joel Pohjanpalo, who have returned from loan. Only Exequiel Palacios remained on the pitch from the starting eleven.

The first good chance for Bayer 04 came just two minutes after the restart when Piero Hincapie put a cross from the left onto the head of Pohjanpalo with the centre-forward heading just wide of the target. The Finland international was also involved in the second big chance for Leverkusen on 75 minutes: A shot from youngster Iker Bravo was parried by the Panathinaikos keeper Yuri Lodygin and Pohjanpalo followed up but the keeper was again able to make the save.

Next friendly against Udinese

Neither side was able to affect the scoreline with the second friendly for Bayer 04 in the current pre-season ending in a goalless draw. The Werkself are back in action on Thursday 21 July. Serie A club Udinese are the next visitors to Zell am See. The kick-off at the Alois Latini Stadium is at 18.00 CEST.

Match stats:

Bayer 04 starting line-up: Hradecky – Frimpong, Kossounou, Tapsoba, Bakker – Palacios, Demirbay – Diaby, Azmoun, Aourir – Schick

Panathinaikos starting line-up: Brignoli – Vagiannidis, Schenkeveld, Poungouras, Ganea – Alexandropoulos, Perez – Palacios, Cerin, Cantalapiedra – Ioannidis

Booked: Sarlija, Alexandropoulos

Referee: Stefan Eder

Attendance: 400 at the Alois Latini Stadium (Zell am See)