Head coach Xabi Alonso made just one change to his team from the 5-1 win at home to Darmstadt prior to the international break. That saw Robert Andrich come in for Palacios. The home side started strongly as the Werkself struggled to find their feet. Konrad Laimer had the first attempt before the defending champions went ahead. Edmond Tapsoba tried to clear a Leroy Sane corner but only flicked it on into the path of Kane, who nodded in at the far post with seven minutes gone.
However, Leverkusen soon started to get into the game and create chances themselves. But it was a free-kick from a central position that brought the equaliser as Grimaldo fired his shot over the wall and past Sven Ulreich into the top corner. The match then opened up into an end-to-end affair with chances for both sides. Victor Boniface had a couple of opportunities and a goal ruled out for offside, before Sane and Serge Gnabry had efforts of their own. It remained 1-1 going into the break, though.
Things continued where they left off in the second half. Jeremie Frimpong had the next big chance when played in by Grant Xhaka, only for Ulreich to save with his leg. Lukas Hradecky then did the same only moments later, producing a brilliant reaction stop to deny Kane from close range. Things then started to calm down as both teams looked to take less risks.
It was all build-up for a breathless closing period, which saw the 5,000 travelling Leverkusen supporters witness yet more attacking play from their team. Florian Wirtz dribbled his way through left of goal and fired across Ulreich, only to see the ball rebound off the far post with 78 minutes on the clock. Only moments later, Boniface got past Minjae Kim but was also denied by the Bayern goalkeeper. Then with four minutes of regular time remaining, substitute Mathys Tel squared for Goretzka to sweep home and put the hosts ahead. The drama wasn’t over there, though. After Jonas Hofmann went down under a challenge from Alphonso Davies, referee Daniel Schlager reviewed the scene on the monitor and opted for a penalty. Like he did against Bayern last season, Palacios held his nerve from the spot to convert and earn a deserved 2-2 draw, this time in Munich.
Fixtures come thick and fast now for Bayer 04 as the UEFA Europa League kicks off with the visit of Swedish champions Häcken to the BayArena on Thursday (18:45 CEST). Then Alonso and his team host promoted Heidenheim on Matchday 5 in the Bundesliga on Sunday (15:30).
Match stats:
Bayern: Ulreich – Laimer (De Ligt 85'), Upamecano, Kim, Davies – Goretzka, Kimmich (Mazraoui 61') – Sane, Müller (Musiala 61'), Gnabry (Tel 70') – Kane (Choupo-Moting 85')
Bayer 04: Hradecky – Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba (Hlozek 90') – Frimpong (Adli 82'), Andrich (Palacios 46'), Xhaka, Grimaldo – Hofmann (Hincapie 90'+6), Wirtz (Amiri 90'+6) – Boniface
Goals: 1-0 Kane (7'), 1-1 Grimaldo (24'), 2-1 Goretzka (86'), 2-2 Palacios (90'+4, pen)
Yellow cards: Tuchel (coach) - Hofmann, Wirtz, Tapsoba
Referee: Daniel Schlager (Hügelsheim)
Attendance: 75,000 (Allianz Arena)
This special event showed once again how strong Bayer 04 are as a team: As part of ‘BarmeniaGothaer gives joy’, the Werkself players Edmond Tapsoba, Ibrahim Maza and Christian Kofane supported the sale of individually designed T-shirts for a good cause at the Fanwelt on Thursday. Several hundred fans came to take part in the charity campaign. Leverkusen's main sponsor BarmeniaGothaer donated the proceeds to the Fondation Edmond Tapsoba, which helps people in Tapsoba's home country of Burkina Faso in their challenging everyday lives.
Show more
With three games to play before the end of the season, the Bayer 04 Women can break one record and equal another at SGS Essen. After three wins on the bounce, coach Roberto Pätzold's team are aiming to maintain the chance of third place in Sunday’s away game (14:00 CEST, Stadion an der Hafenstraße).
Show more
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
Show more
From Ouagadougou to Leverkusen – and back: in March, Bayer 04 travelled with Edmond Tapsoba for a special project in his homeland Burkina Faso. The country where his roots and heart lie. The country where he’s more than a world-class defender: a symbol of hope and a role model for an entire generation. The result is a 45-minute documentary about Tapsoba’s long journey from Africa via Portugal to Leverkusen, which offers extraordinary, one-off and emotional insights.
Show more
Edmond Tapsoba has signed an early extension to his contract with Bayer 04 Leverkusen. With two years left on his current deal, the 27-year-old Burkina Faso international has extended his contract until 30 June 2031. The centre-back joined as a young talent from Portuguese top-flight club Vitoria Guimaraes at the start of 2020.
Show more
