The Werkself were initially focused at the start of the game and primarily impressed with good periods of possession and seamless moves. After impressive work in the build-up by Moussa Diaby and Robert Andrich, Callum Hudson-Odoi appeared to have broken the deadlock but it was chalked off due to a foul by Andrich earlier in the move. With five minutes to play before half-time, there was a hectic course of events: After another disallowed goal, this time for Porto's Mehdi Taremi, and a missed penalty from Patrik Schick, the two sides went into the break with the score at 0-0. After the restart, it was primarily the Portuguese champions who were on the front foot and they were rewarded with goals from substitutes Zaidu (69') at 1-0 and Galeno (87') at 2-0. HERE is the match report.
After the game, Gerardo Seoane summed up the performance of his team in the first half as "very complete." There was great effort and that led to the creation of qualitatively good situations. The 43-year-old coach did however admit: "But then we missed the opportunity to turn effort into goals."
Jonathan Tah also named efficiency as the crucial factor speaking to Werkself TV: "We started really well and produced an impressive performance and energy for long stretches. We should have got our reward," said the defender before adding: "I didn't feel in the second half that the team had less desire. But if you go all out the whole time and don't get a reward then it gets crazy in the end." But the aim is to take the energy from the first half into the forthcoming games: "There's still everything to play for in the Champions League. And if we succeed in landing a punch up front that I think we’ll be able to win our next league game at home to Schalke 04."
Jonathan Tah and Co. met up with a very familiar face in the match against Porto: Wendell moved on to Portugal from Bayer 04 in the summer of last year. The full-back joined the Werkself from the Brazilian club Grêmio Porto Alegre in the 2014/2015 season and he went on to play 250 games for the Black and Reds. The 29-year-old defender started for the opposition last night and he played for 63 minutes.
The numbers from the game: Porto with eleven shots on goal had two more than the Werkself (9). The Seoane team did have their noses in front in terms of possession with 57%. The same applied to pass completion: 84% of all passes found their target for the Werkself and the Portuguese had a return of 75%. The two teams were neck and neck in the number of challenges at 50% each.
The Süddeutsche Zeitung headline reads "crazy game." The EXPRESS describes the Leverkusen performance as "tough, committed – but beaten once again." The Leverkusener Anzeiger sums up the best chance in the first half as follows: After a polite opening quarter of an hour with the focus on avoiding mistakes, the Bayer support suddenly grew loud under the spectacular roof structure at the Estádio do Dragão. An impressive move by Moussa Diaby and Robert Andrich's precise cross to the far post ended with Callum Hudson-Odoi firing the ball under the bar." The second half was described as follows: "Porto shook off their reticence in the second half, attacked the Leverkusen defenders significantly earlier and provoked mistakes."
The Werkself head home from Porto today and there will be another training session in Leverkusen this afternoon. There will be training sessions over the next two days before Schalke 04 visit the BayArena on Bundesliga matchday nine on Saturday 8 October (kick-off: 15.30 CEST). The newly promoted team lost 3-2 against FC Augsburg last weekend. The Black and Reds play Porto next Wednesday 12 October (kick-off: 21.00 CEST) at home in the return match in the UEFA Champions League.
Season tickets for the Werkself home matches in the new Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga season are now on general sale. The season ticket is valid for all 13 matches at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The first home match will be played between 28 and 31 August against the runners-up, VfL Wolfsburg, followed by the clash with the German champions, Bayern Munich, between 11 and 14 September.
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A new team, a new environment, a new challenge—and yet one thing remains the same for Afonso Moreira: his attitude. Total dedication, discipline, and the drive to improve every day have defined the Portuguese player since his early days at Sporting CP. “Even back then, I realized I had to work hard to achieve my goals,” said the 21-year-old. His parents also instilled those values in him from a young age. Values that have driven him ever since, accompanied him to France when he signed for Lyon, and now also form the foundation for his new chapter at Bayer 04. At a media session, the lightning-fast winger spoke about his values, as well as his new teammates, the new coach, and his targets at the club.
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Former Bundesliga and Germany keeper Manfred Manglitz, who was promoted to the Oberliga West with Bayer 04 in 1962, passed away on Monday at the age of 86.
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Justine Brandau and Lobke Loonen joined the Bayer 04 Women’s squad in quick succession this summer. The two Dutch players have been friends since their youth days, and are now playing for the same club for the first time. In an interview at the training camp in Rieden, Brandau and Loonen talk, amongst other things, about their experiences as opponents in the Vrouwen Eredivisie, the dynamic within their new team and their first few weeks in Leverkusen.
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