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- "VfB falls short in Leverkusen's comeback: 3-4 defeat"
Xabi Alonso stormed onto the pitch, his ecstatic team overjoyed as they celebrated in the stands: Bayer Leverkusen, fueled by sheer determination, an electrifying comeback, and late goals, has kept the dreams of securing the Bundesliga title alive, lessening the gap to FC Bayern Munich after a wild 4:3 (0:1) win against VfB Stuttgart. The record champions FC Bayern now lead by six points.
"We're not out of the game just yet. We never gave up and believed until the final whistle. Maybe matches like this are essential to demonstrate that our spirit remains strong," defender Jonathan Tah declared post-match, as the Werkself faced a 1:3 deficit at one point. Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka scored an own goal (62.). The goals for Leverkusen were credited to Jeremie Frimpong (56.) and Piero Hincapie (68.). Stuttgart's Angelo Stiller scored an own goal (88.), followed by Schick's game-winning goal (90.+4).
After the disappointing Champions League exit against FC Bayern Munich, this reaction from the Leverkusen players was nothing short of impressive. "We brought quality and power from the bench. After the 3:3, we aimed to win the game. A draw would have been of little help," said national player Robert Andrich on DAZN.
Stuttgart showcased their potential early on, with their form players Deniz Undav and Chris Führich on the bench initially. While their play demonstrated moments of inaccuracy, their defense stood resilient and showed remarkable solidarity.
Leverkusen missed the creative flair of injured offensive star Florian Wirtz, who can create something out of nothing, in the first half.
Stuttgart had the chance to extend their lead in the first half's added minutes, but Enzo Millot's shot was saved by Lukas Hradecky. Hincapie managed to block Stiller's follow-up shot (45.+1).
The second half began with Leverkusen determined to make a comeback. Stuttgart scored the first goal of the second half, with Nick Woltemade doubling their lead early on, assisted by Enzo Millot.
Leverkusen's response was swift. Frimpong equalized the score in the 56th minute, and Xhaka's own goal, which deflected off Hradecky's arm, seemed to seal the game. However, Leverkusen refused to give up, with Hincapie's powerful strike cutting the deficit to 3-2.
Stiller's own goal in the 88th minute leveled the score at 3-3, setting the stage for a dramatic finale. The decisive moment came in stoppage time when Patrik Schick headed home a cross from Frimpong, securing an incredible 4-3 victory for Leverkusen.
- Leverkusen
- Stuttgart
- Bundesliga
- Xabi Alonso
- Pitch
- Bayer 04 Leverkusen
- FC Bayern
- Robert Andrich
- Piero Hincapie
- Lukas Hradecky
- Munich
- Jonathan Tah
- Granit Xhaka
- Jeremie Frimpong
- Angelo Stiller
- Sports
- Florian Wirtz
- VfB Stuttgart
- Bayer
[1] Bundesliga Matches: Bayer Leverkusen vs VfB Stuttgart (https://www.bundesliga.com/en/matchday/2022-23/bundesliga/1.bundesliga-rnd/2023-01-28/bayer04-leverkusen/vfbs-stuttgart#tab=matchsummary)
[2] BBC Sport: Bayer Leverkusen 4-3 VfB Stuttgart (https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60364836)
[3] Daily Mirror: Bundesliga results - Bundesliga table: Updates as Bundesliga 22/23 season continues (https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/bundesliga-results-bundesliga-table-27083399)
[4] Sky Sports: Bayer Leverkusen 4-3 VfB Stuttgart: Patrik Schick late show salvages remarkable comeback (https://www.skysports.com/football/bundesliga/bayer-leverkusen-vs-vfb-stuttgart/441124)
[5] Bundesliga: Bayer Leverkusen - VfB Stuttgart (https://www.bundesliga.com/en/matches/season-2022-23/bundesliga/2.bundesliga-relegation/bayer04-leverkusen/vfbs-stuttgart#matchpreview)
- The Commission, on hearing about Bayer Leverkusen's thrilling comeback against VfB Stuttgart, was informed of how the team managed to close the gap to FC Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga race.
- Despite FC Bayern's turbulent season, they still deserve their spot as record champions, having maintained their lead after a challenging 4:3 win against Leverkusen.
- Xabi Alonso, watching from the stands as Leverkusen fought back against Stuttgart, may have felt a pang of envy at the performance his former team showcased during that thrilling encounter on the pitch.
