Hot topics close

Leverkusen kicks off 2025 with 3-2 win over illness-hit Dortmund as ...

Leverkusen kicks off 2025 with 32 win over illnesshit Dortmund as
DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Bayer Leverkusen started the year with a big boost to its hopes of defending the Bundesliga title by beating a depleted Borussia Dortmund 3-2 on Friday.

DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Bayer Leverkusen started the year with a big boost to its hopes of defending the Bundesliga title by beating a depleted Borussia Dortmund 3-2 on Friday.

Nathan Tella scored after just 25 seconds of the first Bundesliga game of 2025 and Leverkusen scored on all of its first three shots against Dortmund, which was missing six ill players and had to field a makeshift defensive line.

Leverkusen moved to one point off league leader Bayern Munich, which has its own injury problems ahead of facing Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.

Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso was able to celebrate a win over his former Real Madrid teammate Nuri Sahin, whose sixth-placed Dortmund could drop to 10th by the end of this weekend, depending on other teams’ results.

“We’re obviously very satisfied, very proud. Winning here is extremely hard,” Alonso told broadcaster DAZN. “We did it with this discipline and with this good fighting mentality to keep going until the last minute.”

Patrik Schick scored twice in the first half to move to 11 goals in his last seven Bundesliga games, ensuring Leverkusen hasn’t missed injured striker Victor Boniface.

“We’re seeing a super Patrik with his great will to improve and we need him,” Alonso said.

Dortmund had 70% possession but its threadbare defense struggled to deal with quick counterattacks. Jamie Gittens’ early goal kept Dortmund in the contest and when Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba gave away a penalty with a careless challenge, Serhou Guirassy converted it in the 79th minute to put Leverkusen under pressure at the finish.

An outbreak of illness meant Dortmund was without players such as midfielder Emre Can and central defenders Nico Schlotterbeck and Waldemar Anton, on top of ongoing injury issues.

Of the back four, Yannik Lührs and Almugera Kabar were starting a Bundesliga game for the first time, Yan Couto was on his fourth league start of the season and Julian Ryerson, normally a right back, was covering an unfamiliar center back role.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Copyright © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

Similar shots
News Archive
  • Dan Rather
    Dan Rather
    Dan Rather, at 92, on a life in news
    28 Apr 2024
    2
  • Davis Riley
    Davis Riley
    Davis Riley wins Colonial for first individual PGA Tour victory ESPN
    26 May 2024
    3
  • Donovan Mitchell
    Donovan Mitchell
    Sources Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers agree to 3-year, $150.3M ...
    2 Jul 2024
    18
  • Lakers vs Pistons
    Lakers vs Pistons
    Lakers Vs. Pistons Preview: Bounce Back Opportunity Against ...
    30 Nov 2023
    3
  • Justin Gaethje
    Justin Gaethje
    UFC 300: Max Holloway Lives Up to the BMF Moniker with Stunning ...
    14 Apr 2024
    8
  • Andrew Nembhard
    Andrew Nembhard
    Andrew Nembhard's contract details with the Pacers: salary, years ...
    26 May 2024
    3
This week's most popular shots