Three Nicolas Höfler errors enable Leverkusen to top Freiburg 4-2
Three of four goals from Germany's red company team came courtesy of egregious defensive errors on behalf one of Freiburg's more reliable players.
As a result, Christian Streich's Breisgauer now find themselves winless in five straight fixtures.
As a result, Christian Streich's Breisgauer now find themselves winless in five straight fixtures.
| Christian Streich. | Photo: Ctruongngoc/CC-by-SA 3.0 |
The personnel change immediately produced dividends. Schmid and new right back Lukas Kübler skillfully released Höler. Freiburg's lead striker finished deftly with a shot into the far corner. The Schwarzwaldverein lived the dream start with a 1-0 lead in the 3rd minute.
Matters nearly got much worse for Bosz's XI when Sven Bender was sent off on a straight red in the 22nd. A VAR review, however, revealed that his infraction was not nearly as serious as refereee Benjamin Cortus initially thought. After the taking a look at the tape, the match official reversed himself and downgraded Bender to a yellow.
Defensive errors on the part of Freiburg allowed Leverkusen back into the match. Lucas Alario capitalized on a Niclolas Höfler wayward pass to equalize in the 29th. Höfler would again lose the ball against Florian Wirtz three minutes before the break. The ball would eventually find its way back to Alario via Lars Bender. The 28-year-old Argentine finished from close range to secure the brace and put die Werkselft ahead.
Höfler would commit still another egregious defensive error nineteen minutes after the restart. He again lost the ball to Wirtz in a dangerous area. This time the 17-year-old phenom would serve up Nadiem Amiri for the third goal.
Super-sub Nils Petersen would make matters interesting by pulling a goal back in the 72nd, but Leverkusen substitute Jonathan Tah would head home four minutes later to put the issue beyond all doubt.
Leverkusen remain unbeaten through six Bundesliga rounds while the Breisgauer find themselves winless in the last five fixtures.