At the BayArena, Bayer Leverkusen turned a difficult afternoon into a statement win, beating Freiburg 2-1 and tightening the Bundesliga’s early title picture. Ibrahim Maza and Patrik Schick combined at both ends of the comeback for Carles Martínez Novell’s side.
Freiburg had arrived unbeaten and at the top of the table, but leave Leverkusen in third place after their first league loss of the campaign. Bayern Munich now lead the way after six rounds, with four clubs separated by only one point.
Quick facts
- Leverkusen beat Freiburg 2-1 at the BayArena.
- Derry Scherhant gave Freiburg a 14th-minute lead.
- Ibrahim Maza equalised five minutes later before setting up Patrik Schick’s winner.
- Schick has scored in all six Bundesliga rounds this season and has six league goals.
- Bayern are first on 14 points, ahead of Borussia Dortmund on goal difference; Freiburg and Leverkusen have 13 each.
Freiburg struck first through a rapid break. Philipp Treu began the move and Scherhant finished it in the 14th minute, with Germany coach Jürgen Klopp watching from the stands. Klopp has handed both players their senior international debuts in recent weeks.
Leverkusen responded almost immediately. A mix-up between Freiburg defenders Jordy Makengo and Matthias Ginter allowed 20-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder Maza to link with Moussa Diaby on the right.
Diaby drove a low ball into the area, where Schick cleverly redirected it with his heel for Maza. The midfielder used the outside of his right foot to level the score in the 19th minute.
The second half produced few clear openings until the closing quarter-hour. Maza beat two opponents near the byline, including a nutmeg, then picked out Schick, whose angled finish decided the match.
Schick’s run is a new Leverkusen club mark: no player had previously scored in each of the opening six Bundesliga matchdays. His six goals put him level with Werder Bremen’s Niclas Füllkrug at the summit of the division’s scoring chart.
Bayern were the principal beneficiaries of the weekend. Their 6-1 victory over RB Leipzig, combined with Freiburg’s defeat and Borussia Dortmund’s goalless draw away to Union Berlin, put them first with 14 points. Dortmund also have 14, but Bayern’s goal difference is +17 compared with Dortmund’s +7.
Freiburg, now on 13 points alongside Leverkusen, face another demanding continental-weekend sequence. They travel to Monaco in the Europa League on Thursday before welcoming Bayern next Sunday in the final match of Bundesliga round seven.
