Head coach Sergi Runge made four changes to the team that lost 4-1 to Liverpool three weeks ago, the U19s' last competitive fixture. Bradley Ndi, Akim Kister, Emmanuel Owen and Marton Szep replaced Naba Mensah and Montrell Culbreath, who were sidelined with injury, as well as Ben Hawighorst and Artem Stepanov, who, like Francis Onyeka, have been included in the first-team squad for the Champions League clash with FC Salzburg this evening.
The Bayer 04 youngsters focused on defence against the physically superior visitors, most of whom are regular players for Austrian second-tier side FC Liefering, the reserve team for Salzburg. The home side had the first chance when Ferdinand Pohl only just miscued a header from Kerim Alajbegovic’s free kick (7’). Salzburg captain Zeteny Jano tested keeper Jesper Schlich for a first time at the other end (9’). It was a balanced affair until Tim Trummer let fly from distance and found the far top corner of the net for FCS (16’). His team-mate Alexander Murillo had the next chance, Schlich making a fine save to keep out his header (31’). Andrea Natali (36’) and Jeremiah Mensah (39’) tried to level the score for the Werkself, who found themselves trailing at half-time.
The second half began with a setback for the away side when captain Jano received his marching orders for a second bookable offence (48’). The Werkself tried to combine their way through again and again, with the Austrians relying on long balls. Chances came and went for Szep (56’) and Alajbegovic a quarter-hour later, with a cross evading Salzburg’s Phillip Verhounig (66’). Szep soon had the best chance but FCS keeper Christian Zawieschitzky made the save, with Mensah’s ensuing corner kick almost finding the far corner of the net directly (76’).
Bayer 04 upped the pressure now, Jonah Berghoff coming on in the closing stages as the fourth 16-year-old on the pitch for the Werkself. The home side kept fighting for an equaliser, but another goal refused to come.
"We're not overly disappointed but obviously not happy," summarised coach Runge afterwards. "It wasn't a bad performance but at the end of the day we're left empty-handed. Salzburg were physically superior and used it cleverly. We were lacking the cutting edge in attack." Looking ahead to the concluding Youth League league phase match against Inter Milan, the Spaniard added: "We've seen we can hold our own against the top teams in this competition. We want to show that again against Inter - and then preferably get a result."
Match stats:
Bayer 04: 04: Schlich - Raterink (Domnic 67’), Ndi, Natali, Kister - Pohl (Gernhardt 76’), Buono - Owen, J. Mensah (Berghoff 86’), Alajbegovic - Szep
Salzburg: Zawieschitzky - Bendra, Gadou, Schuster, Brandtner - Paumgartner, Trummer (Moser 87’), Lukic (Aguilar 76’), Jano - Murillo (Verhounig 57’), Baidoo (Rackl 76’)
Goal: 0-1 Trummer (16')
Yellow cards: Buono, Owen, Ndi, Natali - Aguilar
Second yellow card: Jano
Referee: Bulat Sariyev (Kazakhstan)
Attendance: 404 at the Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion
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