Palacios wins it in the 95th in Freezing cold for Leverkusen #1974
Leverkusen 1 Augsburg 0FT
Christmas break has concluded. The Bundesliga made its long-awaited return Friday night as Bayern Munich brushed aside Hoffenheim. The Bundesliga weekend in action. We are in the city of Augsburg on a Saturday afternoon. Augsburg is known for magnificent fountains, grand old gillet houses, exquisite churches and the combination forming a cityscape of rare intensity. One of the most notable landmarks in the city happens to be Fuggerei the world’s oldest social sediment as this estate house is the home of 200 impoverished Catholic tenants. It happens to be very visually beautiful. Going down there in a stroll is a fine way to spend an evening. Obviously, the Augsburg Town Hall 17th century City Hall recently restored following severe damage in World war II. It is an architectural masterpiece of an ancient Roman city. This providing plenty of history associated with one of the most populated areas. Then we have the church of Saint Ulrich and St Afra One of the most significant churches of the Augsburg area. This holy site is the final resting place of two saints Ulrich and Afra who the basilica is named after. Maybe not the most historical city in Germany, but certainly has its history of its own. Finally Hochblass One of the most famous fountains in Germany. It’s a modern drinking water supply in Augsburg introduced in the year 1979 with waterworks. It was one of the rare waters works using water power for pumping and pressure vessel setting new standards. The historic waterworks today a hydraulic power station supplying 320,000 people in the area and has its own engineering museum. During the summer months, it is certainly a very interesting city to visit. However, the summer months have come and gone. As the cold spell in Germany continues. However, it feels like none colder than Augsburg this weekend. While Augsburg have more losses than wins, they have had a remarkably stronger start than most people anticipated. They currently set in the top 11 but unfortunately haven’t tasted victory since December 3rd against Frankfurt. After being beat by Stuttgart in their most recent clash. They would be playing host in freezing temperatures of 25° to the title favor Bayer Leverkusen the only remaining unbeaten team in Europe. Xabi Alonzo’s Leverkusen haven’t lost a match in any competition as they’ve been led by Boniface grimaldo and Wirtz. On December 20th they secured a 4-0 victory against Bochum as Patrick Schick scored a first half hat trick and what was another victory. As Augsburg looked to test themselves against the league leaders and what should be a terrific clash. Boniface has departed for the Africa cup of nations in the ivory Coast. It is reasonable to think Boniface will be gone for the majority of that tournament. As Nigeria are one of the favorites to host the trophy. As a huge opportunity lands in the lap of Augsburg no. Boniface but perhaps an opportunity for Augsburg to pull off the upset, however Schick has been finding the back of the net since his return to entry. So then again maybe the league leaders will put another stamp of approval on another Bundesliga victim. It’s Augsburg. It’s leverkusen and it starts right now at the WWK Arena.
The weather felt like it was certainly going to test both sides. On a sunny day and summertime Leverkusen perhaps go buck wild. The weather could make a huge factor for Augsburg trying to pull the upset. Cold breath coming from players, coaches and fans alike. At kickoff it was 7° below freezing. The environment was going to be uncomfortable but put a test on it potential. Bundesliga champion Wirtz starts on the bench with Alonzo. Maybe saving him for a critical moment when he has fresh legs. Leverkusen had huge advantages in terms of possession. That’s significantly more of the ball. They moved it fairly well and got themselves into those attacking spaces. However, the pace of the game was a bit different with the cold environment. Early effects was taking a strain on both sides. We didn’t have real opportunities for more than 10 minutes. Surprisingly though despite Augsburg at the time having less than 30% possession, they fired the first crack in the cold. In the 12th minute Reuben Vargas launched himself from outside the box. Hitting a long-range effort from deep came close but drifted. The opening start somewhat opened up the play a bit, even in the cold. Leverkusen responded just a few minutes later. As they returned fire in the 18th minute Palacios finds Grimaldo the Spanish fullback took a stab at it from deep. It was initially saved. Leverkusen than regain possession as Frimpong delivers a ball into the box Adam Hlozek flies through the air connecting on the header only for Finn Dahmen to deny him. Despite freezing temperatures, both sides continue to open it up further. Augsburg tried to find space from distance another time. In the 22nd minute Demirovic sends a strike from distance over the right corner despite a good effort. However, Leverkusen was certainly looking to take some sense of control. They had the possession advantages, but they had yet to really claim a level of superiority. In the 27th minute they came very close. Alex Grimaldo launched one from distance only to see the strike hit the bar. A very close effort by the visitors. Even with the cold, their starting to find a little momentum. As we got ourselves later into the affair, chances continue to arrive for the visitors. In the 34th minute Frimpong delivers a ball into the box Patrick Schick arrives putting a pulsating header at Finn Dahmen as he makes the same again. In the 37th minute Alex Grimaldo puts in a cross into Robert Andrich, but his header can’t find the moment. In the closing stages over the first half in the 38th minute Tietz came very close to potentially grabbing a lead. He collected a through ball into the box before trying to find a good touch from a complicated angle. It ends spinning off target in the end. This would end the first half with Leverkusen and Augsburg still scoreless in the cold.
It’s been a rather difficult opening 45 minutes for both sides. There hasn’t exactly been an avalanche of scoring opportunities. However, as we got late into the first half it does appear that it’s opening up just a little bit further. Alex grimaldo hitting the post is the closest. It’s come to an opener. A massive 45 minutes to go for the league leaders, especially with Bayern Munich holding a game in hand and having one on Friday. Leverkusen’s grueling test in Augsburg would only continue. Augsburg tried to pull Leverkusen off guard Demirovic puts his foot through a headed pass from Reuben Vargas in the 48th minute. He aims for the top corner but can’t get there. The pressure was being soaked up even more substantially. In the 50th minute Xhaka and Ezekiel Palacios attempt to connect. 4 minutes later in the 54th minute leverkusen once again trying to capitalize on the corner Jonas Hoffman this time on the delivery and Xhaka attempted to get on the end of it. Leverkusen pushed and pushed again. In the 59th minute. Jonah Hoffman delivers a bullet cross into Patrick Schick. The Czech Republic international gets his head on the end of it, but it does glide to the left. Augsburg was providing a bit of pushback at points in the first half and at the beginning of the second half, but it’s become all of a sudden just leverkusen. Alonzo decided it’s time for Wirtz as he brings on his fresh legs to face the cold. The impact of his entrance was felt. The chances continue to pile on Frimpong than Hincapie than Wirtz. All three of them got themselves scoring chances, but time was ticking and ticking. The league leaders find themselves in a strong position, but with Leipzig next week and Munich just behind in the table, they needed to display a mentality and find their inner demons. It dragged us all the way into the final 10 minutes. Leverkusen was relentless. They needed to find the moment In the 82nd minute. Jonas Hoffman looks to Frimpong The Dutch fullback makes a run to the side of the box before firing an effort that hooks over the left post. Augsburg try to pull all the stops to prevent what felt like the inevitable. In the 88th minute Alex Grimaldo delivers a ball to Jonas Hoffman. The former Gladbach man strikes from distance, but a big time save is made yet again. A minute later in the 89th minute Wirtz tried to squeeze it in from inside the box, but it is blocked by the Augsburg defense. Time was a winding down Leverkusen still looking for that winter as the match gets into stoppage time. With one last roll of the dice, one last chance to bag a victory here came Leverkusen. In the 95th minute in the final seconds of stoppage time. Alex Grimaldo takes the ball down the left side into the box. He supplies a low cross into space Ezekiel Palacios picks it out of the air striking a bullet into the top corner tremendous drama at the end on a very cold night here in Augsburg. Leverkusen managed to take the winner at the death as Palacios delivers the victory. Leverkusen come to Augsburg and the cold as they take maximum points in a 1–0 victory. Winner’s mentality displayed as they stay top!
In a nutshell, what we witnessed was the winning way. Winning mentality Whatever you wish to call it. Leverkusen just displayed but they can handle adversity as they operate through each result with desperation. They remain the only club in Europe that has not lost this season. They are unbeaten in the Bundesliga. Now they’re striving for the Bundesliga title, but the fact that they’re still this far into the season without a loss shows that have the stomach to handle a title race until the very end. Saturday evening was a very difficult environment to have to go find a result. They go through a great deal of adversity and find it in the last waking moment. A bitterly cold night in Augsburg. 7° below freezing. The pressure of continued results and having to look over their shoulder to see Bayern Munich continue to pick up the points. However, this evening leverkusen had to deal with much more. Victor Boniface has left the team temporarily to go compete with Nigeria at the africa cup nations. They will be without him for some time. Schick comes in as he continues to develop good form since returning from injury. It took them until the better end but they played collectively as a team. They never gave up on it and they knew they would find the moment. That in nutshell is winning mentality. They showed it to an unbelievable level. Augsburg deserves a lot of credit how difficult they made it on Leverkusen at times. It was a challenge and offensively Augsburg made a difficult and even with little of the ball found a few moments that could have cracked it open. They spent the entire second half trying to defend for their lives. Dropped points would have been significant with Bayern Munich having a game in hand. However, Palacios finding the winner in the way he did shows that they are the favorites and they’re going to be tough to be by anyone. Dortmund fell apart with all the chips were in the middle of the table. Leverkusen have had the chips in the middle of the table for months and they still seem one step ahead of Bayern Munich. They could have rebounded from it had they not won the game but they showed exactly what separates himself from everyone at the moment. That Palacios strike doesn’t happen for everyone. That moment capulates what Alonzo is building this season They are the team to beat. What we witnessed at the end is what winners do they find a way to win with difficult environments and challenging circumstances, Leverkusen past the test.
