What the papers say: "Quality in sticking at it"

The Kölner Stadt Anzeiger analyses the game as follows: "As Leverkusen were unable to explit their counter-attacks, they had to worry about winning right to the end even though they were clearly the better side. After a short dip in form in the Bundesliga with just one point from two matches they are now back in the running for a Champions League spot."
A particular highlight for the Kölner Stadt Anzeiger is: "Leverkusen's quality in sticking at it. Wendell was an early victim of Hamburg's overzealous tackling and it also caught up with Volland later on. In fact, the Volkspark Stadium has been the venue of real, physical battles over recent years. The young Leverkusen team reacted in a model fashion. … The match represents the development of the Leverkusen team: Faced with poor challenges and the hostile atmosphere at the Volkspark Stadium, the Werkself had to show great resolve to end up winning the game. Given this performance, Heiko Herrlich's team are clearly in the running to qualify for the Champions  League."

The Express reports: "Bayer are back on track! The team coached by  Heiko Herrlich (46), temporarily in second place after the win, are now unbeaten in nine away games. It was the same as ever: Leverkusen always face a hard time at Hamburg. No difference this time: Wendell was the first to feel pain. The Brazilian had to go off injured after just 15 minutes following a bad tackle from Hamburg's Mergim Mavraj. ... Herrlich's team accepted the challenge and relied on their strengths: Offensive power!" The Express points out a statistic relating to Leon Bailey's opener: It was Leverkusen's 22nd away goal this term - the best return in the league."

The Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung observed: "Leverkusen dominated in front of a 45,691 crowd at the once again not sold out Volkspark Stadium. 'If you look at the table then you can see how important today's win was,' said Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Völler. His team are back in the Champions League positions and are now unbeaten in nine games away from home."

The Kicker sums at the game as follows: "After two games without scoring, Bayer Leverkusen return to winning ways with a 2-1 victory. Hamburg SV, who went 2-0 down and only apply pressure up front later on, have now gone ten games without a win in their relegation battle."

The Rheinische Post writes: "For Hamburg SV, the match against Bayer 04 is very significant in the relegation battle given the six-point gap to the play-off spot. Nevertheless, the team from the Hanseatic city need to keep the clock at the stadium running in 2019 as it has from the start of the Bundesliga. It is in its 54th year. HSV are the only club never to have been relegated from the Bundesliga. However, the last "dinosaur" is more than ever threatened with extinction as Leverkusen take  the points back to the Rhineland after the 2-1 win."