Bayer Leverkusen displayed their dominance in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final against West Ham, securing victory with two late goals.
Leverkusen, who are still in contention for a treble of the Bundesliga, Europa League, and DFB-Pokal, maintained control throughout the entire 90 minutes against the Hammers. However, it was only through the efforts of their substitutes that they managed to secure the win.
Alejandro Grimaldo unleashed a powerful shot from long range 20 minutes into the game, but his attempt was thwarted by an exceptional save from Lukasz Fabianski. Shortly after, West Ham suffered a setback as Lucas Paqueta received a yellow card for a reckless challenge, resulting in his suspension for the second leg.
Fabianski continued to impress, making another outstanding save at the half-hour mark to deny Patrik Schick. As a result, both teams entered halftime on level terms.
In the latter part of the second half, which lacked notable scoring opportunities, Fabianski once again demonstrated his skills by making an outstanding save in the 70th minute. He managed to divert a header from Schick over the crossbar.
However, despite Fabianski’s efforts, his resistance was eventually broken. A shot from a corner was initially blocked but then fell to substitute Jonas Hofmann, who skillfully volleyed the ball into the net amidst a crowd of players, with Fabianski unable to see the shot coming.
Adding to their woes, Leverkusen’s other substitute, Victor Boniface, scored a second goal late in the game with a header from another corner. This result puts Leverkusen in a strong position to achieve a historic treble, while the Hammers face a daunting challenge ahead.