Head coach Xabi Alonso rotated in seven positions following the 1-0 win over FC Carl Zeiss Jena in the DFB Pokal in midweek. Matej Kovar, Jonathan Tah, Edmond Tapsoba and Aleix Garcia were the only players to keep their places. Leipzig had more possession to begin with but it was the Werkself who created the early openings. Tapsoba and Piero Hincapie both went close with headers from Garcia crosses inside the first 10 minutes. Granit Xhaka's shot from distance moments later sailed just wide of the target. Just before that, Leipzig's Amadou Haidara had to go off after being caught in the face by an attempted overhead kick from Victor Boniface.
It remained a lively contest, marked by an increasing number of tackles. RBL coach Marco Rose was shown a second yellow card during this period for vocal complaints. On the pitch, meanwhile, his team created the best chance to date. Lois Openda delivered a cross from the right to Benjamin Sesko but the Slovenian steered the ball over the Bayer goal (32').
That was followed by the opening goal for the Black-and-Reds. Lukas Klostermann's failed clearance fell to Jeremie Frimpong, who bore down on goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi. The Dutchman skipped away from the sliding challenge of defender El-Chadaille Bithiabu before slotting the ball past the RB keeper (39'). With half-time approaching, the German champions struck again. Martin Terrier kept the ball in play and, with Gulacsi out of his goal, played it back to Florian Wirtz. The playmaker laid it on for the unmarked Alejandro Grimaldo on the penalty spot, who just had to tap in the second goal (45'). However, that wasn't the last goal of the first period as Leipzig pulled one back in the seventh minute of added time through ex-Leverkusen man Kevin Kampl.
Both teams started the second half with lots of attacking drive. Kampl tried his luck with a placed distance shot, which Kovar plucked away from the right corner (47'). Four minutes later, defender Castello Lukeba headed into the net but the goal was disallowed by referee Dr. Matthias Jöllenbeck as Sesko, who attempted to intervene in the flight of the ball, was stood in an offside position. At the other end, Wirtz with a low strike from outside the area (56') and Terrier with a header (57') both had attempts. Seconds later, the goal came for Leipzig as Sesko fed Openda with a through ball and the Belgian drilled it through Kovar's legs from a tight angle (57').
Despite more possession for the Black-and-Reds, the visitors had the better opportunities to take the lead. Alonso sent on Amine Adli for Terrier to invigorate the attack (71'), with Patrik Schick and Nathan Tella also coming on for Boniface and Frimpong soon after (77'). But after Leverkusen offered Leipzig too much space as they tracked back, Openda netted with a classy long-range shot to make it 3-2 to Leipzig. Bayer 04 responded with a chance for Wirtz, which Gulacsi saved (84'), but there was to be no last-gasp goal this time as their 35-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga came to an end.
The first international break of the new season begins now, with numerous Werkself players involved in 2024/25 UEFA Nations League fixtures as well as qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. After the break, Alonso's men visit TSG Hoffenheim on Bundesliga Matchday 3. The meeting at the PreZero Arena kicks off at 15:30 CEST on Saturday 14 September.
Match stats:
Bayer 04: Kovar – Tapsoba (Arthur 85'), Tah, Hincapie – Frimpong (Tella 77'), Xhaka, Garcia, Grimaldo – Terrier (Adli 71'), Wirtz – Boniface (Schick 77')
RB Leipzig: Gulacsi - Klostermann, Bitshiabu, Lukeba - Henrichs (Vermeeren 89'), Kampl (Baumgartner 89'), Raum - Haidara (Seiwald 15'), Simons - Sesko (Nusa 67'), Openda (Poulsen 89')
Goals: 1-0 Frimpong (39'), 2-0 Grimaldo (45'), 2-1 Kampl (45'+7), 2-2 Openda (57'), 2-3 Openda (80')
Yellow cards: Boniface, Frimpong, Tapsoba / Klostermann
Red cards: Rose (coach)
Referee: Dr. Matthias Jöllenbeck (Müllheim)
Crowd: 29,615 at the BayArena (home sellout)
A simple approach to sport with games, fun and a highlight at the end: Bayer 04 organised a very special training session for 40 participants aged between six and 27 in cooperation with the Football Association of the Middle Rhine (FVM). At the day of action for women and girls with disabilities at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre, many of the participants gained their first experience of football.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen are bringing back Kerim Alajbegovic, who joined Red Bull Salzburg in the summer of 2025. The Bundesliga club activated the buy-back option in the contract with the Bosnia international, who has enjoyed great success at the Austrian top-flight club since the start of the current season. Alajbegovic moved to Salzburg from the Leverkusen U19s last year. The 1.86-metre forward has signed a five-year contract at Leverkusen with a start date of 1 July 2026.
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Less than a year ago, Kerim Alajbegovic moved from the Bayer 04 U19s to Austrian top-flight club FC Red Bull Salzburg. The forward’s development since then has been impressive. In 36 matches, including in the UEFA Europa League, the 18-year-old has scored 14 goals. In the summer, Alajbegovic, now a Bosnia international, will return to Leverkusen - and thus not only achieve the next milestone still early in his career, but also enrich the Werkself squad with his footballing versatility and determination.
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