Werkself share points in eight-goal thriller

"It was a mad game from the first minute. After taking the lead in the second half we had so many good chances to score again so it's annoying we only managed to pick up one point. We're all very unhappy about it," said Leon Bailey who came on after the half-time break and once again showed he is in a fantastic vein of form. Sporting director Rudi Völler highlighted the role of the coach in bringing the turnaround after half-time: "Heiko Herrlich does that incredibly well and he made really attacking changes at half-time. The risk was rewarded and that's our style here at Bayer 04."

Heiko Herrlich again rang the changes in the starting line-up compared with the side that played Werder Bremen – and thereby again demonstrated his great confidence in his squad: Skipper Lars Bender, Julian Brandt, Kai Havertz and Admir Mehmedi return to the starting eleven. Dominik Kohr, Julian Baumgartlinger, Leon Bailey and Kevin Volland were all rested after the the recent run of fixtures as they started on the bench. Lucas Alario and Karim Bellarabi remained up front. Leverkusen again played with a 4-2-3-1 formation with Panos Retsos at left back and Kai Havertz as one of two holding midfielders.

The situation before the last league match in the first half of the season was clear after the the results from Saturday's games involving rivals: A win at Hannover would have seen the Werkself go into the winter break in second or third place in the table, depending on the later game between Leipzig and Hertha Berlin. Herrlich explicitly warned his players, in their white away kit for the first time this season at the HDI Arena, of the aggression shown by the hosts and their enormous strength at set pieces. bio 04 with 12 games unbeaten in succession and Hannover 96 with home wins against Borussia Dortmund, Schalke and Hoffenheim – both teams went into the match in confident mood.

great technique from Brandt for opener

Bayer 04 started on the front foot and were quick to press the hosts. The encounter was a lively from the start with both sides showing what they could do: The Werkself showed the way: Following a throw in from Benny Henrichs and a delightful cross from Lars Bender, Julian Brandt demonstrated great technique with an outstanding volley to hit the ball low into the back of the net on 11 minutes. However, the celebrations under the almost 1,000 Bayer 04 fans present, with the majority on the terraces dressed in Father Christmas suits, had hardly subsided when the Reds hit back: A cross from Julian Korb was headed home by Bebou on 12 minutes with Bernd Leno left helpless. And Hannover soon added a second: Following a challenge between Jonathan Tah and Felix Klaus, referee Storks consulted the video evidence and awarded a penalty:  Niclas Füllkrug converted the spot-kick to make it 2-1 on 21 minutes.

Leverkusen then had to sort themselves out and look to get back into the game. They didn't need long: After Hannover lost the ball in transition, Karim Bellarabi put through Admir Mehmedi on the right side of the penalty area and the Swiss international tucked the ball away at the near post from a tight angle to make it all square at 2-2 and 26 minutes – the ball flashed into the net between the post and the feet of Hannover's keeper  Phillip Tschauner. The opening half-hour at Hannover provided a rollercoaster encounter with both teams playing at great pace and full of grit and determination. The game continued in the same fashion: A Lucas Alario header from a Brandt cross, heading under the bar, was turned away by Tschauner on 32 minutes.

Hannover went ahead again immediately before the half-time break: Following a counter-attack, a shot from Klaus was deflected by Tah beyond the reach of Leno  to make it 3-2 for the home side at the break. Bellarabi had a chance to level in added time but his clipped shot went just wide of the far post – that was the final act of an exciting evenly fought encounter full of power, pace and intensity.

Bailey hits back

The Werkself came on for the second half two pairs of fresh legs: Lars Bender, who received a knock on the knee, and brother Sven (blow to the ribs) were replaced by Dominik Kohr and Leon Bailey with the formation changing to a 3-4-3 system. The substitution immediately paid off: A brilliant pass from Havertz put Bailey through for a one-on-one with Tschauner and the Jamaican coolly tucked the ball away to make it 3-3 on 47 minutes – a dramatic start to the second half. Both sides maintained their tempo: Leno saved Salif Sanés' header on 55 minutes, Tschauner kept out an effort from Havertz (56'). Bayer 04 then mounted another irresistible counter-attack with the same approach as the third goal but this time with Mehmedi instead of Havertz providing the brilliant assist: Bailey again raced down the left  and beat Tschauner with his sixth goal of the season hit low into the far corner of the net to make it 4-3 on 67 minutes – what a boy, this Jamaican!

chances galore to seal it

The completely unmarked Bailey was then inches away from scoring a hat-trick when he hit a shot wide of the far post on 72 minutes. Immediately after that, a shot from Kohr was deflected over the bar (73'), a low drive from Bellarabi just kept out by Tschauner (75') – the Werkself fought hard to score a fifth goal. Herrlich made his third substitution bringing on André Ramalho for Brandt (79'). Havertz then missed out in a one-on-one with Tschauner after a great counter-attack, and Alario headed onto the top of the goal (80'). The failure to score soon caught up with the Werkself: Korb netted from a scrum in the box to make it 4-4 on 84 minutes – there was no end to the frenetic excitement at Hannover. Bellarabi missed a chance on 90 minutes  and Bailey hit the wall from a free kick on 90+2. An incredible match had only one winner – the crowd at the HDI Arena.

The final game of the year for Bayer 04  is the DFB Cup Round of 16 tie: The Werkself are away to Borussia Mönchengladbach on Wednesday 20 December with the kick-off at Borussia Park at 18.30 CET.

Match stats:

Hannover 96: Tschauner – Sorg (Benschop 75'), Anton, Sané, Ostrzolek – Schwegler (Bakalorz 85'), Fossum – Klaus (Sarenren Bazee 83'), Korb – Bebou, Füllkrug

Bayer 04: Leno – Henrichs, Tah, S. Bender (Bailey 46'), Retsos – L. Bender (Kohr 46'), Havertz – Bellarabi, Mehmedi, Brandt (Ramalho 79') – Alario

Goals: 0:1 Brandt (11'), 1-1 Bebou (12'), 2-1 Füllkrug (pen. 21'), 2-2 Mehmedi (26'), 3-2 Klaus (45'), 3-3 Bailey (47'), 3-4 Bailey (67'), 4-4 Korb (84')

Referee:  Storks (Velen)

Booked: Mehmedi

Attendance: 32,800