A three-goal lead before half-time

Bayer Leverkusen won 4:0 at Bułgarska in Poznań on Thursday, 15 October, in the second matchday of the Europa League league phase. Wojciech Mońka left the pitch injured in the first quarter of an hour, and Terry Yegbe came on in his place. Yegbe then handled the ball in his own penalty area, and after a VAR review referee Miloš Milanović pointed to the spot. Patrik Schick converted the penalty in the 29th minute. Three minutes later Malik Tillman pounced on a rebound off goalkeeper Mateusz Lis to make it 2:0. Shortly before half-time Mateusz Skrzypczak fouled Schick in the box, and Schick converted a second penalty in the 41st minute, sending Bayer in at the break three goals ahead.

Second half and a late goal

After the interval Lech could not reduce the deficit. According to Polsat Sport's match report, Bayer dominated possession, shots and clear chances in the second half. Lech's attacks rarely reached the penalty area, and when they did, they lacked the precision to beat the Bayer goalkeeper. Late in the match Lis made a fine save in a one-on-one with Tillman, parrying the shot for a corner. Ibrahim Maza then finished a team move in the 90th minute, completing the 4:0 scoreline.

Sprinklers halt play

Around the 20th minute, while Bayer players were trying a counter-attack, the pitch sprinklers unexpectedly switched on. Referee Miloš Milanović stopped the game until the situation was under control, and play resumed after a short stoppage. Interia Sport described the interruption as brief. Earlier, Mikael Ishak had sent a shot over the crossbar for Lech, one of the few attempts the home side managed in the first half.

Reactions from the two camps

Lech midfielder Antoni Kozubal, 22, spoke after the match and accepted the result.

“We are trying to play our own game. A 0:4 score is apparently a deserved result, but only this way can we become better.”

He also praised Bayer, saying the team used all its strength, worked together and that no player stood out from the group. Bayer coach Carles Martinez had said before the match that the stadium looked excellent and that the Lech supporters, around 40,000 according to Interia Sport, were one of the home side's strongest assets. Martinez made only a few changes to his starting line-up.

Bayer Leverkusen4

Lech Poznań0

Bayer Leverkusen

4 goals

Lech Poznań

0 goals

Data from the article text

Lech's European campaign so far

Lech began the league phase with a 0:4 defeat at Crystal Palace a month earlier, the first league-phase match in the club's history according to Interia Sport. Interia noted that the draw had left Lech facing Crystal Palace, Bayer Leverkusen, Sunderland and Benfica in the first four matchdays. Bayer have a Bundesliga match at Freiburg in three days, a fixture that Interia highlighted as the German side's next test. Lech's next league-phase match is at home against Sunderland AFC on 22 October in Poznań, under coach Niels Frederiksen.