Despite not initially being in Bayer Leverkusen’s UEFA Europa League squad, Jonas Hofmann scored a brace as his aspect continued their good begin to the league part with a 2-0 victory at OFI Crete – extending an eight-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
Making the lengthy journey to Crete proved troublesome for Hoffenheim, who misplaced 2-0 right here on matchday one, and their compatriots additionally appeared off their finest early on. The first likelihood of the match certainly went to the house aspect, as Thiago Nuss shifted it onto his left and fired throughout purpose, however Janis Blaswich acquired down low to push it away from hazard.
But the guests began to enhance after the 20-minute mark, and Klidman Lilo made a implausible save to maintain out Jonas Hofmann – the primary of many in the subsequent quarter-hour.
Patrick Schick was stored out by Lilo – as was Hofmann once more – however the most effective of the lot was when Malik Tillmann hit one from shut vary after 18-yard field chaos, just for the Albanian stopper to stretch out his leg and deflect it away.
But his efforts proved in useless on 35 minutes, as a long-range strike from Afonso Moreira was solely pushed by Lilo so far as Hofmann, who this time squeezed it contained in the close to publish.
And Leverkusen doubled their lead by way of the identical supply simply a few minutes later, with Hofmann hitting an ideal first-time strike into the bottom-left nook from effectively outdoors the realm.
Not letting that disappointing finish to the half get to him, Lilo’s heroics continued by denying Hofmann a hat-trick and protecting out a strong effort from Aleix Garcia. But it was quickly time for his reverse quantity to do some work himself, with Blaswich saving a few efforts whereas seeing Taxiarchis Fountas’ shot deflect simply large of the publish.
But scoring on every of the primary three Europa League matchdays wasn’t to occur for OFI, who had Lilo to thank for protecting the deficit at two targets – particularly when he confirmed good reflexes to maintain out Miguel Gutierrez in the ultimate moments.
Hofmann – who was solely added to Leverkusen’s squad for this competitors because of Martin Terrier’s harm – will take the plaudits, however a run of only one defeat in their final 17 Europa League matches suggests they’re effectively on track to achieve the later levels. Consecutive defeats usually are not what Christos Kontis would have had in thoughts, although OFI have at least now acquired their three matchups with top-five league sides out of the way in which.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jonas Hofmann (Bayer Leverkusen)
