October 23, (THEWILL) -Bayer Leverkusen’s UEFA Champions League campaign experienced a minor setback with a 1-1 draw against Brest on Wednesday evening at the Stade Francis-Le Blé. Florian Wirtz continued his remarkable scoring form with his third goal in three European matches, but the German side could not maintain their perfect record.
The 21-year-old German international opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a precise strike from 20 yards, demonstrating the clinical finishing that has made him integral to Xabi Alonso’s team. However, Brest responded through Pierre Lees-Melou, who struck a powerful volley into the bottom corner six minutes before half-time.
The second half brought considerable controversy as Leverkusen had two penalty appeals dismissed by VAR. The first incident involved Jonas Hofmann’s cross striking a defender’s hand, while the second occurred when Hofmann went down in the penalty area during the closing stages of the match.
Both teams maintained their positions atop Group B with seven points each, though Brest holds third place ahead of Leverkusen on goals scored. The result marks the first time either side has dropped points in this season’s competition, following two victories in their opening fixtures.
Leverkusen, who were without Nigerian forward Victor Boniface after his auto crash incident, had opportunities to win the match late on, with Wirtz missing a significant chance in the 95th minute. The result ends their perfect start to their European campaign, though they remain well-positioned to progress from the group stages.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
