Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 Newcastle

Alejandro Grimaldo was on hand to get an 88th minute equaliser for Bayer Leverkusen as they narrowly avoided defeat at home to Premier League side, Newcastle. The German side in fact took the lead through a Bruno Guimaraes own goal in the 13th minute, but Eddie Howe’s men rallied in the second half to go 2-1 up with goals from Anthony Gordon and Lewis Miley but Grimaldo denied the Magpies victory with his goal.

Malik Tillman, Patrick Schick and Ernest Poku were the front 3 in Kasper Hjulmand’s 343 set up for Leverkusen. Eddie Howe’s men also had a front 3 but in a 433. Nick Woltemade started up top with Anthony Gordon to his left and Harvey Barnes on the right.

From minute 1, the clash at the BayArena began with intense energy as Newcastle United immediately sought to assert dominance on foreign soil.

The visitors started aggressively, showing no signs of intimidation. By the 5th minute, their intent was translated into the first real opportunity of the match. Harvey Barnes found space inside the box and unleashed a low shot that forced Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Mark Flekken into an early save, setting the tone for a frantic opening period.

Newcastle continued to dictate the tempo, and by the 10th minute, their tactical approach was paying dividends. Deploying a high press, they pinned Leverkusen back in their own half, dominating territory and disrupting the German side’s attempts to build from the back. It appeared as though the Magpies were in full control, but football often punishes dominance without end product.

Against the run of play, the dynamic of the match shifted in the 14th minute. Leverkusen won a corner, which was swung into a dangerous area. Midfielder Robert Andrich rose highest to meet the delivery, but his header took a decisive deflection off Newcastle captain Bruno Guimarães. The wicked deflection left goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale helpless as the ball flew into the net, handing Leverkusen a 1-0 lead despite being on the back foot for the opening stages.

The drama escalated in the 21st minute with a moment of controversy involving VAR. Newcastle defender Malick Thiaw found himself in a precarious position as Patrik Schick ran clear on goal. Thiaw tripped the forward, and the referee initially pointed to the spot, awarding a penalty to Leverkusen.

However, a VAR check intervened, ruling that the foul had occurred just outside the box. As a result, the penalty decision was overturned, and Thiaw was shown a yellow card instead of a red, escaping a dismissal that would have severely handicapped his team.

Leverkusen looked to capitalize immediately from the resulting free kick in the 22nd minute. Alejandro Grimaldo stepped up to take the set piece from just outside the area but could only curl his effort over the bar, wasting a prime opportunity to double their lead.

As the half progressed, Leverkusen began to settle into the game, turning it into more of a chess match by the 30th minute. Ibrahim Maza broke into a dangerous area and fired a shot that went just wide, signaling a shift in momentum as the hosts began to exert more control.

However, Newcastle remained dangerous, and in the 35th minute, they applied pressure that nearly resulted in an own goal. During a scramble in the box, Leverkusen defender Aleix García nearly sliced a clearance into his own net, a moment of panic that highlighted the fragility of their lead.

The final minutes of the first half saw Leverkusen threaten again. In the 43rd minute, Ernest Poku cut in from the left flank and unleashed a powerful shot, but Aaron Ramsdale was equal to the task, making a sharp save to the top right corner. Two minutes later, in the 45th minute, Jarell Quansah, playing for Leverkusen, broke through on the right side and fired a shot that Ramsdale tipped over the bar. The half concluded at 45+2 minutes with Bayer Leverkusen holding a slender 1-0 advantage.

The second half kicked off with a significant change for Leverkusen, as Christian Kofane replaced the injured Patrik Schick. Newcastle came out with renewed purpose, and their persistence was rewarded in the 52nd minute thanks to a calamitous error by the Leverkusen goalkeeper.

Mark Flekken hesitated on the ball, allowing Nick Woltemade to press brilliantly and steal possession. In his desperation to recover, Flekken brought Woltemade down, conceding a penalty.

Anthony Gordon stepped up to the spot in the 53rd minute and made no mistake, sending Flekken the wrong way to equalize for Newcastle.

The goal leveled the score at 1-1 and injected new belief into the visiting side. Gordon was at the heart of the action again in the 60th minute, nearly grabbing a second goal with a ferocious left-footed drive that beat the keeper but struck the post, denying Newcastle the lead by mere inches.

Leverkusen tried to respond on the counter-attack in the 69th minute. Ernest Poku led a 3-on-2 break but hesitated at the crucial moment. His delay allowed Lewis Hall to recover and block the eventual shot, keeping the scores level.

Newcastle’s pressure finally told in the 74th minute when they took the lead. Anthony Gordon turned provider this time, delivering a perfect cross that found Lewis Miley. The teenager headed home with composure to make it 2-1 for Newcastle, completing a spirited turnaround.

However, Leverkusen refused to lie down. In the 88th minute, with time running out, Alejandro Grimaldo produced a moment of magic to rescue a point for the hosts. After playing a one-two with Ibrahim Maza, Grimaldo struck a stunning finish, shooting through the legs of defender Dan Burn to beat Ramsdale and equalize at 2-2.

The drama wasn’t over yet. In the 90th minute, Malick Thiaw had a golden chance to win it for Newcastle from a corner. With the goal at his mercy, he fired over the bar, squandering a glorious opportunity to snatch all three points.

Leverkusen had the final attempt of the game in the 93rd minute, as Edmond Tapsoba fired a wayward shot from distance wide to the left. The referee blew the full-time whistle at 94 minutes, ending a thrilling contest at 2-2.