Schick seals derby victory for Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen bounced back from successive Bundesliga defeats by overcoming rival Koln 2-1 at RheinEnergieSTADION.

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The visitor took the lead inside seven minutes after Alex Garcia rifled home a free-kick before Patrik Schick doubled the scoreline five minutes from time.

Said El Mala's stoppage-time goal threatened to set the stage for a late Koln comeback, but Leverkusen managed to keep the home side at bay.

Koln came close to taking the lead inside 22 seconds, but Linton Maina’s attempt from close range was saved by Mark Flekken before El Mala fired wide of the upright moments later.

Marvin Schwabe was then alert to deny Schick with an outstretched left hand following good work from Ibrahim Maza on the left of the box. From the resulting corner, Maza forced Schwabe into a brilliant save at the near post, before the Koln goalkeeper got up instantly to deny Malik Tillman’s rebound.

Garcia then gave his side the lead from a 25-yard free-kick in the seventh minute, lifting a finish over the wall and into the top-left corner.

Koln thought it had levelled the scoreline minutes later, but Sebastian Sebulonsen was unable to convert a left-wing centre after Flekken brilliantly saved with his right foot.

Schwabe was once again called into action as he pushed Afonso Moreira's effort from a tight angle past the right-hand post before the Koln goalkeeper made a sensational save to keep out Schick's first-time strike from the edge of the box. Maza then dragged a finish past the upright after being played through on goal as the visitors searched for a second.

Schick managed to find the back of the net in the 80th minute, but his goal was disallowed after the referee penalised the striker for handling the ball.

However, Schick was not to be denied five minutes later, as he outmuscled Joel Schmied before finding the top-left corner from eight yards.

Koln threatened a late comeback as El Mala poked home a 92nd-minute volley at the near post after a teasing right-wing centre from his brother Malek El Mala, but it was too little too late.