Leverkusen stumble to draw against Wolfsburg

Bayer Leverkusen's poor start to the Bundesliga season continued on Sunday, as they twice threw away a lead to draw 2-2 with Wolfsburg.

Dominant in the opening half an hour, Leverkusen finally broke the deadlock on 29 minutes. Lars Bender fired the ball in from close range to score his first goal since April 2016.

The goal seemed to galvanise Wolfsburg. After a flurry of chances just before half time, Liverpool loanee Divock Origi eventually headed the visitors level on 44 minutes.

Lucas Alario restored the lead for Leverkusen on the hour mark, but Wolfsburg were level again within 10 minutes. Daniel Didavi came off the bench to set up Jakub Blaszczykowski, who slotted the ball past Bernd Leno.

The draw extended Wolfsburg’s winless streak to six games, but coach Martin Schmidt was positive about his side’s performance.

"It was a good point to win," said Schmidt. "After the last game, I felt that we had lost two points, today I feel we have won one."

Werder Bremen are still searching for their first win of the season after suffering a 2-0 defeat at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Gladbach had the lion’s share of the chances in the first half, and were rewarded on 27 minutes when Lars Stindl curled the ball around Jiri Pavlenka to open the scoring. Just six minutes later, former Bremen man Jannik Vestergaard doubled the lead with a powerful header.

Further chances followed in the second half, as Thorgan Hazard was denied by Pavlenka and Stindl hit the post late on. Bremen held firm to limit the damage, but were treated to boos and whistles from the home support at full time nonetheless.

"We are just as frustrated as the fans are," said Bremen left-back Ludwig Augustinsson.

Alexander Nouri’s team have not scored a goal in their last 304 minutes of Bundesliga football, and their attacking troubles were on full view on Sunday.

The result saw Bremen remain second from bottom, while Gladbach move up to fifth.

source: AFP