Bayer 04 Leverkusen have been the surprise package in European club football in the 2023/2024 Season, having led the German Bundesliga 1 over defending champions Bayern Munich with an unbeaten record of 11 wins and three losses. Not only Xabi Alonso’s Bayer 04 Leverkusen are showing their dominance in the German top-flight football, the team also scored an insane 16 goals in their three victories in the DFB-Pokal thus far, and have finished their UEFA Europa League group stage yesterday with an impressive six wins in as many matches. Bayer 04 Leverkusen came on top at home against Molde FK from Eliteserien by a 5-1 thrashing last night.
A Goal Feast for Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen survived scares in their previous two league games after going 1-0 down in both matches against Borussia Dortmund and VfB Stuttgart. Fortunately, they were able to level things up and secure two precious points from these league encounters, and they were looking forward to return to winning ways in all competitions in last night’s home game against the Norwegian outfit Molde FK.
The home team got off to a great start in the game. In the sixth minute, a poor Molde FK pass at their own half allowed Bayer 04 Leverkusen to start a counterattack, in which Patrik Schick received the ball and ran towards the opponents’ goal. The 27-year-old forward then beat his defender, followed by a decent strike that found the bottom right corner. 16 minutes after Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s opener, Edmond Tapsoba helped increase their lead by heading in a short corner delivery by Jonas Hofmann.
Molde FK’s day turned from bad to worse after Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s second goal, when an own goal committed by Martin Ellingsen gave the home team a larger margin of lead going into the second half. The 28-year-old Ellingsen just could not get himself out of the way when his Danish teammate Anders Hagelskjær tried to clear the ball away off Nathan Tella’s cross into the penalty box, only to have it hit on the Norwegian player before ending in the back of the net.
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06′ Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Molde
22′ Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 Molde
25′ Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 MoldeXabi Alonso’s side can’t be stopped 💪 #UEL pic.twitter.com/5IzwLcqmsN
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 14, 2023
Alonso’s Men Finished Group H with a Perfect Six Wins in Six
Despite going 3-0 up, Bayer 04 Leverkusen showed no mercy against their opponents, with Adam Hložek hitting a brace to give the home team a huge lead towards the end of the game. The 21-year-old Czech Republic forward scored his first goal of the match via a superb team play that started from the backline. He then received the ball in the final one third of the pitch, before charging towards the goal with sheer determination and a strike that beat past Oliver Petersen.
Petersen would go on to pick the ball from the back of the net once again due to Hložek’s effort in the 70th minute, when the latter lashed a powerful strike from way outside the penalty box to score his third goal in 10 appearances in all competitions for Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Molde FK did get a consolation goal shortly after the home side’s fifth in the match thanks to Eric Kitolano, but Alonso’s German Bundesliga 1 outfit would secure their sixth victory in all six matches of the group stage of the European club football competition with a 5-1 score line.
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74 Goals in All Competitions Thus Far
Needless to say, with 19 goals in their six wins in as many group matches in the UEFA Europa League, Bayer 04 Leverkusen are the team to beat in the European club football competition. Apart from eyeing the prestigious continental trophy, the only perfect team in the competition will also have huge chances of winning the domestic league and cup titles towards the end of the season, having managed to win 20 and draw thrice in their 23 matches in all tournaments thus far, not to mention their firepower has been crazy in those games, scoring a total of 74 goals.
The current leaders of the German Bundesliga 1 will have two more matches in the calendar year of 2023, one against Eintracht Frankfurt, and another versus VfL Bochum 1848, both at home in the league. Xabi Alonso’s men will look forward to finish these game with great results, and complete the halfway line of the German top-flight football in 2023/2024 as the top team.
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