Bayer Leverkusen, the reigning Bundesliga and Cup champions, started their match against Holstein Kiel with a blistering pace, scoring twice within the first eight minutes. Victor Boniface opened the scoring in the fourth minute with his fourth league goal of the season, followed by Jonas Hofmann’s low drive in the eighth minute, capitalizing on a mistake by Kiel goalkeeper Timon Weiner.
Leverkusen’s dominance was undeniable in the first half, with nine shots in the first nine minutes alone. They appeared poised for a comfortable victory. However, the momentum shifted towards the end of the half as Kiel found their footing. Max Geschwill pulled one back for Kiel just before the halftime whistle, giving them hope for a comeback.
That hope materialized in the second half. Leverkusen, despite having a total of 24 shots on goal compared to Kiel’s eight, seemed to have lost their intensity. Kiel, on the other hand, proved more efficient and capitalized on a penalty in the 69th minute, scored by Fiete Arp, to equalize the score.
Despite their late surge, Kiel’s efforts were enough to earn them a valuable point, while Leverkusen, who had a midweek Champions League victory over AC Milan, dropped to fifth in the league standings with 11 points. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich, currently at the top of the table with 13 points, faces Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.
