They swept Union and Leverkusen advanced to the semi-finals

Leverkusen qualified for the semi-finals of the Europa League. In fact, this is the first time since 2002, that it reaches one step before the final of a European competition. The German team went through Belgium in an emphatic way, crushing Union Saint-Jiloise 4-1 and combined with the 1-1 in the first match, got the ticket for the top four, where he will face the winner of Roma-Feyenoord. May 11 and 18 the games on the way to the final, which will take place on the 31st of the same month in Budapest.

The match:

Dream start for Leverkusen, who opened the scoring after 66 seconds through Diaby, who took advantage of the defensive laxity of the hosts. The Union players “froze” from the quick goal, as a result of which they give the visitors’ players the opportunity to come forward threateningly and flirt with a second goal. At the same time, Xabi Alonso’s players were completely focused on the defensive tasks, not letting their opponent create a suspicion of opportunity. In the 34th minute he tried to do it with Andingra, but Hratetski was on hand. And in the 38th minute, the “aspirins” in an exemplary counter-attack, made it 0-2 with a close-range shot by Bakker, after Diaby’s cross. They now had a strong qualifying lead.

We almost had the same scenario at the start of the second half, but this time from the Union side. 44 seconds after the cross, Amani missed a rare opportunity to reduce the score and put his team back in the game and in the 51st minute it was Boniface’s turn to send the ball wide from an advantageous position. The visitors were more cynical and took full advantage of their opponents’… gifts. One such thing was done by goalkeeper Morris in the 60th minute, who gave a pass to Fribong, who scored 0-3. Five minutes later, the home side found a goal through Thero, who shot from inside the area, the ball bounced off a defender’s leg and into Hrateski’s net for 1-3.

In the 70th minute, they almost got back into the game, but in Boniface’s shot, the ball stopped at the junction of the goalposts. The players of the German team gave the ball to their opponents, trying to manage the two-goal lead. The home team pressed and had some good moments, but the second goal was not forthcoming. Instead, on yet another counterattack, the visitors scored. Diaby shot, Morris saved and the incoming Hlosek put the “icing on the cake”, shaping the final 1-4, which sent the “aspirins” to the semi-finals of the second tier European competition!

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