Head coach Xabi Alonso started a number of first-team regulars including Jonathan Tah, Robert Andrich and Callum Hudson-Odoi and, from the travelling youth players, Zidan Sertdemir began in the position of playmaker. The hosts lined up with former Bundesliga players Roman Bürki (Borussia Dortmund), Eduard Löwen (Hertha Berlin) and Tomas Ostrák (FC Köln).
Before kick-off, the 22,500 fans at the sold-out CITYPARK Stadium rose for live renditions of the national anthems of the USA and Germany – emotional moments ahead of the first kick-off in the newly built home ground of St. Louis CITY SC. After a joint group photo of the two teams, the referee started the game.
In chilly temperatures, most of the early action was in midfield with the first attempt on the goal of Roman Bürki coming from Werkself youngster Zidan Sertdemir with a header on 16 minutes. Adam Hlozek also attempted to score from ten yards out (19'). The offensive pressure of the Bundesliga side gradually increased during this phase of the game. At the other end, the former FC Köln player Tomas Ostrák tried a long-range effort (25') with the first goal attempt from the hosts.
The ball was in the net for the first time two minutes later when Tah volleyed into the top corner. However, the ball was over the line before the cross from Callum Hudson-Odoi so the score remained 0-0. That changed on 36 minutes with the first-ever goal at the CITYPARK Stadium – and it was scored by the Werkself. A low cross was played on with a backheel from Hlozek leaving Hudson-Odoi with a tap-in from three yards out. Hlozek doubled the lead at 2-0 (44') with a shot from a tight angle just before half-time after good work from Hudson-Odoi. The Black and Reds took the lead into the break.
Head coach Xabi Alonso made four changes at half-time: Moussa Diaby, Nadiem Amiri and Madi Monamay (U19 player) replaced Karim Bellarabi, Kerem Demirbay and Joshua Eze with Niklas Lomb going in goal in place of Andrey Lunev. At the other end, former Hoffenheim player Joao Klauss played up front of the start of the second half. But the third goal was scored by the Werkself: Hlozek converted an assist from Mitchel Bakker to make it 3-0 (51').
The hosts had the next big chances but the Bayer 04 keeper Niklas Lomb was in fine form and he made two impressive flying saves (72', 73',) to deny both Célio Pompeu and Akil Watts. The action on the pitch at the CITYPARK Stadium settled down from that point but the fans continued to provide vocal support to both teams until long after the final whistle – and thereby ensured a fitting stage for the first match in the new St. Louis stadium. For St. Louis CITY SC it was a successful test ahead of the first MLS season and a successful conclusion of the #Bayer04USATour for the Werkself.
The Werkself now take a well-deserved two-week break after the #Bayer04USATour. Head coach Xabi Alonso will welcome his squad back to training in Leverkusen from 1 to 18 December and Bayer 04 have a friendly against Scottish record champions Rangers in Scotland (10 December) during that time.
Match stats:
St. Louis: Bürki – Di Rosa (Glover 74'), Hiebert, Yaro, Pidro (E. Armstrong 61' ) – Löwen (Kuzain 61'), Jensen (61. Perez 61') – Watts, Ostrák (Palazzolo 74'), Pompeu (Heard 74') – Dolling (Klauss 46’, D. Armstrong 84’)
Bayer 04: Lunev – Azhil, Tah, Eze (Monamay 46’), Bakker – Andrich, Demirbay (Amiri 46’) – Bellarabi (Diaby 46’), Sertdemir, Hudson-Odoi – Hlozek
Goals: 0-1 Hudson-Odoi (36’), 0-2 Hlozek (44’), 0-3 Hlozek (51’)
Booked: Pidro – Eze, Sertdemir
Attendance: 22,500 (sell out) at CITYPARK Stadium
Bayer 04 entertain third-placed VfB Stuttgart in the penultimate Bundesliga home game. The match at the BayArena is today Saturday 27 April (kick-off: 18.30 CEST/live on Sky and on Werkself Radio). The latest information on the game, with fans again asked to follow traffic information, is here in the news in brief.
Show moreAfter three consecutive weeks of playing midweek, the Werkself have been preparing for the top-of-the-table clash against VfB Stuttgart over the past few days. Ahead of the home game on Saturday 27 April (kick-off 18:30 CEST, live on Sky), head coach Xabi Alonso praised the third-placed visitors and gave an update on the state of the pitch as well as personnel.
Show moreThere's no question: VfB Stuttgart are one of the biggest surprises of this season and have delighted their fans with exciting, successful attacking football. After suffering a rare defeat at Bremen last weekend, third-placed VfB are looking to get back to winning ways in this Saturday's big match against the Werkself (kick-off 18:30 CEST). The visitors will be without their playmaker in midfield, though. A look at our next opponents...
Show moreWhether at school, in grassroots sports or at the football stadium – racism and discrimination of all kinds are still prevalent in our society. For this reason, Bayer 04 has been organising preventative school workshops on the subject of racism for many years. This week, one of these workshops took place at the Lise-Meitner-Gymnasium not far from the BayArena as part of the Wiesdorf district matchday - and with a prominent guest: Werkself star Jonathan Tah worked intensively with the pupils on the topic. The German champion and international also spoke about his personal experiences with racism.
Show moreBayer 04 aren’t just the new champions of Germany but are also leading the way in engaging young fans after becoming the first Bundesliga club to release its own Pixi children’s book. Captain Lukas Hradecky and Josip Stanisic presented the 24-page publication entitled ‘Ein neuer Löwe für die Werkself’ (A new lion for the Werkself) at a reading for children in the BayArena's Schwadbud.
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