3-2 at Nice – Werkself through to next round

"We had to put in a shift today with plenty of power and energy. But I think we deserved to win and, in my eyes, it was never in danger," said Julian Baumgartlinger after the game. His Austrian fellow countryman Aleksandar Dragovic, like Baumgartlinger also a goalscorer on the night, added: "The decisive element was that we continued to believe after each setback. We stuck to our strategy, implemented it and deservedly won."

Head coach Peter Bosz made three changes to the side that started in the 0-0 draw with Hertha Berlin: Wendell began at left back in place of Daley Sinkgraven, Nadiem Amiri returned after illness in the centre of midfield in preference to Florian Wirtz. Karim Bellarabi, also back after a short time out injured, replaced Leon Bailey on the right wing. Edmond Tapsoba was back on the bench after missing three games due to self-isolation as a result of a positive coronavirus test. The Burkina Faso international was also joined by Cem-Tuna Türkmen. The 18-year-old was called up to the senior squad by Bosz for the first time.

No penalty – Diaby scores opener

The team led by the Dutchman faced an opponent in the opening stages who sat back against the Werkself on the halfway line with a compact 5-4-1 formation. The Black and Reds tried their luck down the wings: After five minutes, Moussa Diaby took the ball down the left flank to the byline and hit a low cross into the penalty area. The Nice central defender Robson Bambu slid into Diaby in an effort to clear – definitely a good shout for a penalty. The Italian referee Maurizio Mariani did not award a spot kick and there is no VAR in the Europa League group stages. The Nice goalkeeper Walter Benitez was able to collect the ball without any problems.

15 minutes had been played when Bellarabi hit a powerful cross into the box. Patrick Schick ran onto it but was unable to convert the cross (17'). The Werkself took control of the game from the start and had 70 per cent possession. After 22 minutes, Bayer 04 found a gap in the French team's defence: Kerem Demirbay chipped the ball over a defender for Diaby to volley into the net to make it 1-0.

Goal ruled out – then Dragovic scores

Just two minutes later and the ball was in the back of the Nice net again: Amiri put Schick through and he lobbed Benitez. The match officials ruled the Czech was offside – but that was not the case. Nevertheless, the score remained 1-0 if only for two minutes: Lars Bender attempted to clear a free kick with a header but it found Hassane Kamara and he skilfully hit the ball into the net (26'). The conceded goal did not affect the Leverkusen game in any way.

Just after the half-hour mark, Amiri hit a corner to the far post over the players bunched in the middle where Dragovic was unchallenged as he restored the lead (32'). The Bosz team went into half-time with a narrow but deserved advantage – also because Schick tried to shoot instead of picking out one of three unmarked teammates and his effort was blocked (45+ 1').

‘Baumi’ header - Türkmen makes debut

Bosz made two changes for the start of the second half: Tapsoba and Bailey replaced Lars Bender and Schick. And the new duo were only on the pitch for two minutes when Nice equalised again: Lukas Hradecky failed to hold on to a free kick and Dan Ndoye was able to level from three yards out – 2-2 (47'). However, the Werkself again demonstrated their greater desire on the night; Baumgartlinger headed on an Amiri free kick and the ball landed in the back of the net (51').

There was good news on 67 minutes: In addition to Emrehan Gedikli, who made his first team debut last week in the 4-1 win against Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Türkmen also came on to make his first appearance for the senior team. After the double substitution, the Werkself continue to control the game and kept out the opposition right to the final whistle.

Group decider against Slavia Prague

Bayer 04 return to Leverkusen on Friday afternoon to begin preparing for the Bundesliga away game against bottom of the table Schalke 04 on Sunday 6 December (kick-off: 18.00 CET). The Werkself complete the group stage in the Europa League with a home game against Slavia Prague next Thursday – and that presents the opportunity to secure the target set by head coach Bosz of winning the group.

Match stats:

Nice: Benitez – Lotomba, Daniliuc, Bambu, Nsoki, Kamara (Coly 72') – Claude Maurice, Reine-Adelaide, Danilo (Thuram 67'), Maolida (Ndoye 29') – Gouiri (Trouillet 72')

Bayer 04: Hradecky – L. Bender (Tapsoba 46'), Tah, Dragovic, Wendell – Amiri (Türkmen 67’), Baumgartlinger, Demirbay (Wirtz 86’) – Bellarabi, Schick (Bailey 46’), Diaby (Gedikli 67’)

Goals: 0-1 Diaby (22’), 1-1 Kamara (26’), 1-2 Dragovic (32’), 2-2 Ndoye (47’), 2-3 Baumgartlinger (51’)

Booked: Ndoye, Daniliuc – Demirbay

Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)