At Allianz Arena on Saturday, Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich played out a thrilling Bundesliga match that ended in a 1-1 stalemate. Super Eagles attackers Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella were unable to lead their team to victory.
Tella, Boniface’s countryman, took over for the final 78 minutes of the game after Boniface, who just declared himself the African Player of the Year, started it early.
The Nigerian pair did everything they could to help the reigning champions get a winning goal away from home.Due to the outcome, both clubs were able to continue their winning ways in the Bundesliga. Bayern Munich leads the table with 13 points from five games, while Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen is in third place, three points behind.
After a deft assist from Granit Xhaka, Robert Andrich scored Leverkusen’s opening goal in the 31st minute with a clean first-time finish into the bottom corner. After just eight minutes, Aleksandar Pavlovic scored a fantastic goal from 25 yards out that tucked into the top corner as Bayern responded with lightning speed.
Both teams had opportunities in the second half to take all three points. Two minutes after the break, Serge Gnabry of Bayern nearly gave the home team the lead when he struck the post and crossbar in quick succession after Harry Kane’s tempting cross.
After a challenge from Amine Adli in the 86th minute, Kane—who has been playing well since his high-profile move to Bayern—was taken off due to what appeared to be an ankle injury. Manager Vincent Kompany will be concerned about the substitution of the England captain ahead of next games.
Both teams worked hard to find a winner as the game went on. Alphonso Davies of Bayern fired a shot that went wide from the edge of the box, and Konrad Laimer’s attempt just missed the mark.
On the other side, Tella and subsequently Boniface remained a persistent danger but were unable to make the necessary breakthrough.
The fierce rivalry between Bayern and Leverkusen, who ended Bayern’s ten-year reign on the Bundesliga title last season, is maintained by the draw.
There’s little doubt that this will be a fiercely contested championship fight after both teams’ strong starts to the current campaign.
All eyes will be on Leverkusen’s Nigerian players as the Bundesliga season goes on, as they attempt to support the reigning champions against a Bayern team that is hungry to win the championship again.
