#B04eSports: Unbeaten Leverkusen bow out to RBL in final

semi-final win against last year's champions

Marc 'MARC_LDW23' Landwehr and Sean 'SEAN_LDW07' Landwehr faced last year's champions SC Paderborn 07 in the semi-finals on Sunday afternoon. The 2vs2 opening game against Jamie ‘Chaser’ Bartel and Max Julius ‘Diviners’ Gröne was dominated by the #B04eSports players from the start as they established a comfortable three-goal lead but SCP turned the game round and ended up winning 4-3. That meant Sean Landwehr had to win in the following 1vs1 encounter against Paderborn's Bartel – and he survived the pressure to secure a last-minute victory (3-2).

The decider for a place in the final came in the 1vs1 game between Marc Landwehr and Gröne. Leverkusen were 3-0 up on the hour mark before Paderborn's esports player scored twice to make it 3-2. With two goals on 87 and 90 minutes, Marc Landwehr sealed a 5-2 win – and a place in the final. Both Sean and Marc Landwehr went into the final at the VBL CC finals without a single defeat in the 1vs1 games. RB Leipzig beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-0 in the other semi-final.

only Bayer 04 and Leipzig undefeated

The final on Sunday evening brought a showdown between the only two unbeaten teams at the VBL CC finals. The Red Bulls started as usual with the line-up of Anders ‘RBLZ_Vejrgang’ Vejrgang (world champion in 2023 and 2024 plus Germany club champion in 2022 and 2023), Umut ‘RBLZ_Umut’ Gültekin (1vs1 world champion in 2022 plus Germany club champion in 2022 and 2023) and Levy Finn ‘RBLZ_LevyFinn’ Rieck. While RBL were the clear favourites ahead of the tournament, Leverkusen took up the role of the outsiders. After a thoroughly successful weekend in the group stage and the semi-final, it was clear before the final: The Werkself esports players also had a good chance of lifting the championship title.

Marc and Sean Landwehr played Vejrgang and Gültekin in the 2vs2 opener. The Leverkusen players deservedly led 2-0 after 30 minutes but conceded one goal just before half-time and another shortly after the restart. Leipzig gradually took control in the second half – and were finally rewarded with a deserved 4-2 victory.

title decider in third clash

As in the semi-final against Paderborn, Sean Landwehr had to win in the first 1vs1 game. Surprisingly his opponent was not Gültekin but Rieck instead. After RBL levelled on 17 minutes, Sean Landwehr upped his game and secured a 6-1 win by full-time. Now it was time for the decider!

This brought a showdown between Marc Landwehr and the young Dane Vejrgang. The latter made the better start and took the lead after three minutes. Despite being behind, Marc Landwehr created good chances but Vejrgang scored twice before the break to make it 3-0 to RBL. Marc Landwehr netted twice to make it 3-2 and levelled with a penalty on 67 minutes. The momentum was now his side. However, as Marc Landwehr missed some cast-iron chances, it was the Leipzig team who celebrated their third club championship title at the end of 90 minutes leaving Bayer 04 with a very impressive runners-up spot.

"have another go next year!"

After the final, Marc Landwehr talked about an "unlucky defeat. We can be very proud nevertheless: After a sobering start to the season, we’ve turned it round over the last few weeks and made it here to the final undefeated. They were incredible days for us. Special thanks go to the fans here and in front of the screens – they all gave as an enormous boost in the games!" Cousin Sean Landwehr added: "We lacked a little bit of luck in the end. Nevertheless, we’ll keep our heads up and have another go next year! It's all set up for another successful season and every VBL club will have to keep an eye on us!"

Marc Fiedler was clearly proud on behalf of the whole esports section at Bayer 04: "It's incredible what our lads have achieved this season and above all over the last few days. Reaching the final and the narrow defeat against Leipzig shows what great quality we have in the club. The whole team is incredibly proud of Marc and Sean! The other clubs will have to focus more on another candidate for the title next year. Now we are excited to see what Marc and Sean, but also Markus (Hüttemann, ed.), can achieve in the VBL Open and the following VBL Grand Final – I'm sure they will be outstanding representatives of Bayer 04."