Werkself out of DFB Cup after 2-1 defeat to Karlsruhe

Head coach Gerardo Seoane made a total of six changes from the weekend’s 2-2 draw with Köln. Edmond Tapsoba, Mitchel Bakker, Exequiel Palacios, Amine Adli, Nadiem Amiri and Paulinho all started in place of Odilon Kossounou, Piero Hincapie, Kerem Demirbay, Florian Wirtz (all on the bench), Karim Bellarabi (thigh strain) and Patrik Schick (ankle).

Striker Lucas Alario was also unavailable due to a muscular problem, but there was good news as Iker Bravo took his place in the senior squad for the first time. The 16-year-old centre-forward moved to Leverkusen from Barcelona in the summer and was on the bench.

shock for the Werkself

It was a bad start for Bayer 04 as they fell behind inside only four minutes. A cross from the left was met by the unmarked Philipp Hofmann in the middle, but Lukas Hradecky still made an excellent reaction stop. However, he couldn’t hold onto the ball and Lucas Cueto was the quickest to react and put Karlsruhe ahead. The Werkself didn’t take it lying down and twice came within inches of a reply, first through Moussa Diaby and then Adli.

There was no lack of commitment or speed from Paulinho & Co as the visitors dropped further and further back into their own half, making it tough for Bayer 04 to pose a threat to goalkeeper Marius Gersbeck. A weak volley from Amiri and an effort from Robert Andrich that went over the bar was the best it got. Seoane’s troops had over 65% possession by the break, but couldn’t find a way through the Karlsruhe defence as it remained 1-0 after 45 minutes.

Frimpong equalises – Clinical Choi

The second half got off to a fast pace. Captain Hradecky had to save a free-kick from Marvin Wanitzek before Karlsruhe skipper Jerome Gondorf got in a crucial block to deny Amiri at the other end. The Werkself finally had their breakthrough after 54 minutes when Jeremie Frimpong played a great one-two with Adli in the box and fired the ball into the top left corner for the equaliser.

Bayer 04 then failed to convert their supremacy into further chances. A lack of accuracy in the final third meant shooting opportunities were at a premium. But the visitors showed they could be clinical and restored the lead with their next chance. Hradecky played a pass straight to the feet of striker Kyoung-Rok Choi, who finished to make it 2-1.

Karlsruhe defend to the death

Seoane reacted by sending on Demirbay and Wirtz. The Werkself were even more dominant with their two playmakers on the pitch and launched attack after attack, but ultimately to no avail. Adli and debutant substitute Bravo both fired over from central positions. Leverkusen pushed until the end for an equaliser, but Karlsruhe threw everything they could into blocks and challenges to get their 2-1 win over the line.

Next up for Bayer 04 is another home game against Wolfsburg on Saturday, 30 October in the Bundesliga. Kick-off at the BayArena is at 15:30 CEST.

Stats:

Bayer 04: Hradecky – Frimpong, Tah, Tapsoba, Bakker (Sinkgraven 77') – Palacios (Demirbay 64'), Andrich – Diaby, Amiri (Wirtz 64'), Adli – Paulinho (Bravo 77')

Karlsruhe: Gersbeck – Thiede, Gordon, Kobald, Heise (Jakob 86') – Breithaupt (Batmaz 81') – Choi, Wanitzek, Gondorf, Cueto (Lorenz 66') – Hofmann (Schleusener 81')

Goals: 0-1 Cueto (4'), 1-1 Frimpong (54'), 1-2 Choi (64')

Yellow cards: Frimpong, Tah – Gordon

Referee: Tobias Welz (Wiesbaden)

Attendance: 13,060