A top-corner Traumtor from Hakan Çalhanoğlu saved Bayer Leverkusen from a day of empty chances as they went onto to top Schalke 04, 1-0, for their fourth victory of the season.
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Schalke 04: Final Score 1-0, Hakan Çalhanoğlu Saves the Day
Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s free kick in the 53rd minute was the dazzling breakthrough Leverkusen needed
The 20-year-old whacked a free kick over Schalke’s three-man wall in the 53rd minute and curled it out of the reach of Ralf Fährmann. Çalhanoğlu’s fifth goal of the season was as top corner as one could get, and the breakthrough proved to be the difference maker that pushed Leverkusen back into the top four.
Despite having a day less rest at midweek, Leverkusen came out of the gate pressing high and winning the ball in great positions. Schalke manager Roberto Di Matteo kept his setup tight, surrendering the flanks to win the ball in the penalty area. The Königsblauen could not break out of their own end, firing just four shots to Leverkusen’s 24.
Stefan Kießling nearly opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, but Heung-Min Son's delivery was a fraction too late and the striker had to hold his run. Çalhanoğlu was involved behind his strike partner, booming eight shots before Kyriakos Papadopoulos replaced him late in the match.
Leverkusen went down to ten men after Tin Jedvaj, on loan from AS Roma, slid into Jan Kirchhoff with his studs up, but even that could not slow down the formula Leverkusen had going for them. Wendell nearly doubled the scoreline, but his shot from the left flank could not squeak inside the far post.
The three points for Leverkusen ties them at 16 with Borussia Mönchengladbach, who play Bayern Munich on Sunday. Mönchengladbach remains third on goal difference for now. Schalke drop down to 12th with the loss, and have collected just one point in their league matches following their Champions League matches this season.
Leverkusen: Leno, Donati, Spahić, Toprak, Wendell, Bender, Reinartz (Jedvaj 25’, red 85’), Bellarabi (Hilbert 90’), Çalhanoğlu (Papadopoulos 82’), Son, Kießling
Goal: Çalhanoğlu (53’)
Schalke: Fährmann, Uchida, Ayhan, Höwedes, Aogo, Höger (Meyer 89’), Kirchhoff (Neustädter 70’), Sam (Obasi 56’) Choupo-Moting, Draxler, Huntelaar
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