Bayer 04 started their second pre-season friendly with new signing Jarell Quansah making his debut, while the meeting acted as Bochum's dress rehearsal before the start of the Bundesliga 2 season next week. Patrik Schick had the first two attempts of the game, with Nathan Tella then having the goal at his mercy as Leverkusen went on the attack early on. After another nice combination, Jonas Hofmann's shot was blocked at the last moment.
It took another five minutes for Erik ten Hag's side to be rewarded for their efforts, when Hofmann buried a pinpoint cross from Alejandro Grimaldo in the 23rd minute. The over 1,500 travelling fans from Leverkusen were witnessing a good display from their team, who weren't really troubled defensively until the 39th minute, when Mats Pannewig's effort from close range produced a superb reflex save from Bayer 04 keeper Mark Flekken. The hosts enjoyed their best spell at the end of the first half, but the next goal was scored by Schick with a clinical finish in the first minute of stoppage time.
The restart saw debutants Ibrahim Maza and Christian Kofane introduced as well as Lukas Hradecky and Axel Tape. The first opportunity in the second period fell to Bochum substitute Ibrahim Sissoko, but the summer signing could only strike the outside of the post. With around an hour played, the string of substitutes began - and the game became rather flat as a result. Genuine goalscoring opportunities were in short supply until the final whistle, as the Bayer 04 defence stood firm and inflicted a first defeat of pre-season on Bochum.
The Werkself continue with their next friendly on Friday night, 1 August at 19:00 CEST away to Dutch top-flight side Fortuna Sittard.
Match stats:
Bochum: Horn - Passlack (Rösch 46'), Morgalla (Lenz 73'), Strompf (Loosli 73'), Vogt (Kleine-Bekel 73'), Wittek (Koscierski 61') - Pannewig (Onyeka 61'), Ibrahima Sissoko (Miyoshi 80'), Bero (Wätjen 61') - Hofmann (Ibrahim Sissoko 46'), Broschinski (Clairicia 62')
Bayer 04: Flekken (Hradecky 46') - Quansah (Hawighorst 73'), Andrich (Traoré 88'), Tapsoba [Tape 46') - Arthur (Culbreath 61'), Xhaka (Boniface 77'), Palacios (J. Mensah 63'), Grimaldo (Adli 63') - Hofmann (Sarco 75'), Tella (Maza 46') - Schick (Kofane 46')
Goals: 0-1 Hofmann (24'), 0-2 Schick (45'+1)
Yellow cards: Vogt / Kofane
Referee: Felix Weller (Osnabrück)
Attendance: 15,788 at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have secured the services of another gifted youngster: 17-year-old forward Ndjicoura Bomba will move to Leverkusen from CS Bamako in his native Mali in March, once he reaches legal age.
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have completed the signing of winger Farid Alfa-Ruprecht. The 19-year-old German youth international joins from the U21 side of English giants Manchester City. His contract in Leverkusen is set to run until 30 June 2030.
Show more
The Werkself visit VfL Bochum 1848 today, Sunday 27 July (18:00 CEST), in their first 2025/26 pre-season friendly in Germany. While head coach Erik ten Hag's side are still in the early stages of their preparations for the new campaign, this is Bochum's final warm-up for the start of the Bundesliga 2 season next week following their relegation. The Matchday News has all the key info on the clash at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion.
Show more
After her remarkable EURO journey with the German national team to the semi-finals, Carlotta Wamser has earned a few days' holiday. From Ibiza, the Werkself's new right-back still found time to reflect on the tournament in Switzerland for bayer04.de.
Show more
The opponents, venue and kick-off time for Bayer 04 Women's opening match in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga have already been known for some weeks. On Thursday morning, the Werkself also discovered when exactly they'll be playing on Matchdays 2 to 4 as the German Football Association (DFB) made its first scheduling announcement of the new 2025/26 season - the first in which 14 teams, not 12, will compete in the top flight.
Show more
