BERLIN (AP) — Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen took a step toward the Bundesliga title with a 2-0 victory in the 10-man derby in Cologne on Sunday.
Goals from Jeremie Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo helped Leverkusen capitalise on Bayern Munich’s 2-2 draw at Freiburg on Friday to take a 10-point lead with 10 games remaining.
“It wasn’t easy, but in the end winning here is a big step forward, and that’s the goal: to keep going,” said Alonso, who took over when Leverkusen were in the relegation zone in October 2022.
His team also extended their German unbeaten record to 34 matches in all competitions this season. Leverkusen have lost since losing to Bochum on the final matchday of last season.
“Game after game,” Alonso replied when asked if his team could remain unbeaten for the entire season.
Midfielder Granit Xhaka says the team will have to keep aiming if they want to end Bayern’s 11-year reign as German champions.
“Ten issues are a lot, we have to be honest, but it’s still not resolved,” Xhaka said. “There are still many, many questions to be resolved and we can’t say until it can be solved mathematically. But we have to stay where we are, keep our feet on the ground, keep running and know as a team that we want to tackle some additional issues.
Referee Tobias Stieler was busy from the start on Sunday. He sent off Cologne’s Jan Thielmann after a VAR review in the 14th minute for stepping on the back of Xhaka’s ankle, and booked 3 more players in the first 30 minutes as tackles flew by.
Frimpong broke the deadlock in the 37th minute, converting from close range after a patient build-up move through Leverkusen.
Cologne came out with more courage after the break and came close to equalizing in the 51st minute when Sargis Adamyan volleyed home the right post.
The house enthusiasts did their best to wake up their team, while the visitors were content to keep the property without taking too many risks.
But Grimaldo, despite everything, sealed the result in the 73rd minute, after a patient preparation play.
BEIER SCORES AGAIN
Maximilian Beier scored twice for the second game in a row as Hoffenheim held on to beat Werder Bremen 2-1 in the final match of Matchday 24.
Beier, 21, scored twice in Hoffenheim’s 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund last weekend. He raised his league goal tally to 12 this season.
Hoffenheim striker Marius Bülter was sent off in the 73rd minute, but Skelly Alvero’s stoppage-time goal, his first goal for Bremen, came too late for the visitors.
Hoffenheim seventh, now three points ahead of Bremen.
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