Bayer Leverkusen v Ferencváros Live Commentary & Result, 9/3/23, UEFA Europa League

That's all for today, goodbye!

The second leg will take place in a week's time, with Ferencvaros hosting that one at the Groupama Arena. They're both in league action before that though, with Leverkusen travelling to Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga, and Ferencvaros hosting Puskas Akademia.

Leverkusen have the advantage going into the second leg as they beat Ferencvaros 2-0. They dominated the first half, with Demirbay scoring an early goal from the edge of the box to put them ahead. Zachariassen almost pulled Ferencaros level when he lobbed the keeper, but he hit the crossbar. Tapsoba then made sure of the win late on, heading in Hlozek's free-kick after it smacked the post, and Hradecky was forced into a late save to keep out Zachariassen.

90' + 4' FULL-TIME: BAYER LEVERKUSEN 2-0 FERENCVAROS.

E. Ćivić

Yellow Card

90' + 3' Civic takes one for the team by pulling back Frimpong and stopping Leverkusen from being able to break on a quick counter.

90' + 2' GOOD SAVE! Civic beats the offside trap and pulls it back into the middle, but nobody is there for Ferencvaros. Mmaee keeps it alive on the right, squaring it into the middle for Zachariassen, who hits it first time. Hradecky is in the right place to block it.

90' + 1' Into four added minutes here, and Ferencvaros are still pushing to pull a goal back. Leverkusen are staying compact at the back though and making it difficult for them to get through.

P. Schick

F. Wirtz

89' Leverkusen's final change sees Schick coming on for the final minutes in place of Wirtz.

H. Wingo

E. Botka

87' And Botka also makes way, with Wingo on for him.

N. Frederiksen

A. Traoré

87' There's a double change for Ferencvaros in the aftermath of that second Leverkusen goal. Traore is the first to go off, with Frederiksen replacing him.

E. Tapsoba

Goal

86' TAPSOBA SCORES! Hlozek is so unlucky with the free-kick as he steps up from 25 yards and whips his shot straight off the near post. Dibusz was beaten and when it rebounds into the middle, Tapsoba is the most alert as he throws himself forward to head it into the back of the empty net. 2-0 Leverkusen!

85' Leverkusen are quickly moving it into the box whenever they win possession back, and it's fizzed into Hlozek down the right of the box. He drags it to the opposite side before letting fly, but it's blocked by Knoester.

O. Kossounou

Yellow Card

83' Kossounou clumsily bundles Mmaee to the floor, and he's not happy when the foul goes against him as he says he got the ball. He then throws it away, and he's booked for dissent.

82' Botka sloppily gifts the ball to Wirtz and loses his footing before he can react. He gets lucky as Hincapie plays it straight back to him, and this time, he does get it away.

80' The Leverkusen fans aren't happy with the referee, as they're claiming he's not giving decisions in their favour. Hlozek is brought down this time, and Ferencvaros break on the back of it.

A. Gojak

Marquinhos

78' Marquinhos needed treatment on his lower back after a heavy landing, and he's going straight off. Gojak replaces him.

77' It's a wonderful throughball from Hincapie to play in Wirtz down the left, but he can't get away from Abena, who has a fistful of his shirt. He's eventually dragged off it, but, much to Leverkusen's frustration, they don't get a free-kick.

F. Wirtz

Yellow Card

75' And so is Wirtz for his reaction.

E. Botka

Yellow Card

75' Botka slid in on Wirtz, and the forward wasn't happy with the challenge. They square up to each other, head to head, but the referee quickly steps in to split it up. Botka is booked.

73' It's great work from Frimpong to hold off Knoester long enough to square it to Hlozek. His first touch is a heavy one though, and he could Abena in his attempts to keep hold of it.

A. Hložek

M. Diaby

71' Second change for Leverkusen now, and it's Diaby that's making way, with Hlozek replacing him.

70' Adli takes a tumble in the box and he, along with the fans behind the goal, are asking the question of a penalty. There was slight contact from Abena on his heels, but not enough in the referee's eyes.

68' Ferencvaros have started taking a more direct approach in the last few minutes, with Esiti going long over the top this time. Traore gets goal side of Tapsoba but uses his arm to control it.

66' It's the right idea from Vecsei, who spins away from Demirbay before sliding it through the middle for Zachariassen to chase. He can't quite get there though, and Hradecky collects.

64' Botka knocks it back to Dibusz and it doesn't look like there's enough on the pass. Adli is chasing it down, but the keeper rushes out to meet it and just narrowly avoids hitting his clearance against the substitute.

62' Another sloppy pass from Dibusz sends the ball straight out of play, but Ferencvaros quickly win it back. Mmaee picks it up deep in his own half, and knocks it past Tah with a great touch in the box, only to run out of space.

A. Adli

S. Azmoun

60' Leverkusen are making the first change of the game. Azmoun, who has struggled to get involved, is taken off for Adli.

59' Leverkusen win it back high upfield again, and this time, Diaby tries to turn provider as he threads it into the box for Azmoun to chase. He can't shake Knoester though, and it's shielded out of play.

57' WIDE! It's not the best pass into Esiti, but a heavy touch then gifts it straight to Wirtz. His first thought is to slide it down the left for Diaby, and he has a go from a tight angle, but it fizzes across the face of goal.

55' Since November 2021, Wirtz has been involved in an average of 1.5 goals per match in the Europa League (nine goal participations in six matches - three goals, six assists).

53' CLOSE! None of the Leverkusen players close Civic down and he has a free run through the middle. He decides to go it alone, letting fly from the edge of the D, but it sails just over the bar.

51' Wirtz squeezes a pass between the two Ferencvaros defenders in front of him and Diaby tries to get on the end of it. It's too heavy for him to reach, and Dibusz lets it run out of play.

K. Zachariassen

Yellow Card

49' Zachariassen is racing back to stop Hincapie's run and slides in on him late. He takes him out from behind and picks up a yellow card.

48' Ferencvaros have started the second half on the front foot, and Esiti wins it back high upfield. Mmaee plays a one-two with Marquinhos but gets the shot at the end of it all wrong as he sends it high and wide of the far top corner.

46' Leverkusen get us back underway for the second half!

Alonso will be pleased with his side's performance so far - they dominated possession from the first whistle and got into some good attacking positions, but without testing the keeper, which he will want to improve on. As for Ferencvaros, they responded well to the early setback, but Cherchesov will be urging them to take a few more risks going forward.

Demirbay's early goal gives Leverkusen a 1-0 lead over Ferencvaros at half-time. The hosts were dominant in the first half and profited from a shaky pass out from Dibusz. It was worked to Demirbay on the edge of the box, and he picked out the top corner. At the other end, Vecsei and Botka both fired just wide, but the visitors came closest through Zachariassen, who lobbed Hradecky, only to hit the bar.

45' + 1' HALF-TIME: BAYER LEVERKUSEN 1-0 FERENCVAROS.

Marquinhos

Yellow Card

45' Marquinhos loses the ball to Amiri, so drags him back by his shirt to stop him from getting away. He can't argue with that booking.

43' CHANCE! Kossounou's route down the right is blocked, so he checks back and squares it to Demirbay on the edge of the D. He tries his luck from range again, but drags at this one, sending it wide of the near post.

41' Frimpong lets it run out to Diaby on the right, and Civic wasn't expecting it. He drills another low cross into the box - Azmoun misses it and Wirtz's first touch loops kindly into Dibusz's gloves.

Yellow Card

39' Alonso wasn't happy that a foul didn't go his team's way before the free-kick was given to Ferencvaros, and his protests have seen him go into the book too.

K. Demirbay

Yellow Card

38' Demirbay clumsily clips Marquinhos from behind, giving away a foul and picking up the first yellow card of the game.

36' Leverkusen are back to dominating the game, and they're patiently working it out from the back again. They switch it from left to right, but can't find a way through right now.

34' The visitors are enjoying a good spell of possession here, but they can't keep hold of the ball when they get out of their own half. Esiti tries to drive through the middle but runs straight into Tapsoba.

32' Wirtz thinks about having a shot but chooses to lift it out to Hincapie on the left instead. Before he can get his head up in search of a cross, Ferencvaros have flooded back into their box to stop the attack.

30' There's a nervy moment at the back for the visitors as Frimpong chases Civic down. The left-back knocks it back to Dibusz, who takes a heavy first touch, but clears it just before Wirtz reaches him.

28' WIDE! Kossounou does well to stop Mmaee's run, but Leverkusen quickly gift it back to Ferencvaros. Botka has a touch to get it out of his feet before drilling a low shot across goal from the edge of the box, but it's just past the far post.

26' OFF THE BAR! It's lovely play from Ferencvaros, with Marquinhos cutting inside from the right and pulling it back to Vecsei. He chips into Zachariassen, who lobs it over Hradecky and onto the crossbar.

24' Traore is chasing Frimpong down and nicks the ball off him high upfield. He tries to mount a counter, but it's pulled back for a free-kick to Leverkusen, much to Ferencvaros' frustration.

22' It's switched out to Frimpong on the right this time, and he gets a yard on Civic to fizz a brilliant low ball across the six-yard box. Azmoun is caught on his heels, and Abena gets in front of Wirtz to make a vital clearance.

20' CLOSE! Amiri switches it out to Diaby on the right, and the defenders are slow to get out from him. He swings a dangerous cross towards the far post - Azmoun can't get there and Dibusz dives, but it bounces just wide.

19' Leverkusen are back to dominating possession in front of Ferencvaros. It's very patient from the hosts as they try to draw their opponents out of their shape.

17' It's Traore who exploits the space down Leverkusen's right this time as he darts forward. He pulls it back to Vecsei just outside the D, and he takes it first time, but fires his wild effort high and wide of the far post.

15' Vecsei manages to carry the ball over the halfway line, and Ferencvaros have their first opportunity to attack. He clips it into Traore, who flicks a header into the middle, but Hradecky collects it.

13' Ferencvaros are struggling to get a touch on the ball as Leverkusen continue to confidently knock it around. The visitors are pressing a little quicker now, but it's not paying off at the moment.

11' Leverkusen are on the attack again, and they win a free-kick down the left. Demirbay swings it towards the near post but hits the first man, who clears it.

F. Wirtz

Assist

9' Wirtz couldn't spot a cross into the box, so he kept making himself available for Demirbay as he created space.

K. Demirbay

Goal

9' DEMIRBAY SCORES! It all starts with a terrible pass out from Dibusz, and although Knoester made a good block to deny Hincapie, Ferencvaros couldn't get it away. Tah wins it back, and Demirbay plays a couple of one-twos with Wirtz before firing his shot into the near top corner from the edge of the box. 1-0 Leverkusen!

8' Ferencvaros lose the ball deep in their own half, and Demirbay switches it straight out to Frimpong. He fizzes a dangerous low ball into the box, and Mmaee lets it run, but Azmoun is caught on his heels and Abena clears.

6' Diaby drives down the right before cutting inside, and Civic is staying tight to him. The forward is claiming his shirt was tugged back as he set himself to shoot, but the referee sees nothing in it.

4' Ferencvaros are happy to sit back in their own half and let the hosts keep possession in front of them. They're in no hurry to press from the front.

2' Leverkusen patiently work it out from the back, neatly switching it from left to right as they open up Ferencvaros. Kossounou slides it forward for Diaby, but there's too much on it for him.

1' Traore gets the game underway for Ferencvaros!

The teams are out on the pitch now, with kick-off just moments away!

Leverkusen are winless in their last three home games in European competition (D1 L2), with their last such victory coming via a 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League group stage in September.

Stanislav Cherchesov makes four changes from their win over Mezokovesd nearly a week ago, with Botka, Knoester, Vecsei and Zachariassen all coming into the side. Kovacevic and Wingo drop to the bench, while David Siger and Xavier Mercier aren't in the squad.

Xabi Alonso makes just two changes to the side that beat Hertha Berlin at the weekend, and they're both enforced. Robert Andrich and Exequiel Palacios are both suspended for this first leg, so Amiri and Demirbay are brought in to replace them.

FERENCVAROS SUBS: Adnan Kovacevic, Amer Gojak, Nikolai Frederiksen, Alex Toth, Henry Wingo, Szabolcs Mergl, Balazs Manner, Adam Bogdan.

FERENCVAROS STARTING XI (4-2-3-1): Denes Dibusz; Endre Botka, Mats Knoester, Myenty Abena, Eldar Civic; Balint Vecsei, Anderson Esiti; Adama Traore, Kristoffer Zachariassen, Marquinhos; Ryan Mmaee.

BAYERN LEVERKUSEN SUBS: Patrick Pentz, Mitchel Bakker, Karim Bellarabi, Adam Hlozek, Amine Adli, Ayman Azhil, Niklas Lomb, Patrik Schick, Timothy Fosu-Mensah.

BAYER LEVERKUSEN STARTING XI (4-3-3): Lukas Hradecky; Odilon Kossounou, Edmond Tapsoba, Jonathan Tah, Piero Hincapie; Jeremie Frimpong, Nadiem Amiri, Kerem Demirbay; Moussa Diaby, Sardar Azmoun, Florian Wirtz.

Leverkusen were taken all the way in the play-off round after dropping out of the Champions League, beating Monaco 5-3 on penalties after a 5-5 aggregate draw over the two legs. They come into this game having won five of their 10 matches in all competitions since the restart after the World Cup (D1 L4), and are unbeaten in their last three outings, winning two and drawing one. Ferencvaros haven't played in Europe since November, having pipped Monaco to the top of Group H due to their head-to-head record. They're unbeaten in their last 11 matches (W6 D5) since losing their last Europa League game to Trabzonspor.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Europa League round of 16 first-leg tie between Bayer Leverkusen and Ferencvaros at the BayArena!

Bayer Leverkusen v Ferencváros Live Commentary, 10/3/23

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