Bundesliga: Leverkusen hot on Bayern's heels after beating Bochum

Leverkusen players celebrate with their fans after the German first division Bundesliga football match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and VfL Bochum in Leverkusen, western Germany on March 28, 2025. (Photo by Pau BARRENA / AFP)
Goals from Aleix Garcia, Victor Boniface
and Amine Adli took Bayer Leverkusen to a 3-1 home win over Bochum on Friday
and cut Bayern Munich's lead at the top of the Bundesliga to three points.
Defending champions Leverkusen dominated
possession and were camped out near Bochum's goal for much of the match but
struggled to carve out clear chances until late in the game.
Aleix Garcia opened Leverkusen's account
midway through the opening half when he curled in a shot from just outside the
area.
Bochum hit back shortly afterwards when
Felix Passlack unleashed a memorable strike of his own after a defensive
mistake from Granit Xhaka.
Leverkusen's nerves seemed to build as the
game went on until Boniface, starting for the first time since early February,
restored their lead with a close range tap-in on the 60-minute mark.
Adli, on for Patrik Schick, scored a third
in the 87th minute to wrap up the victory and up the pressure on Bayern, who
host St Pauli on Saturday.
Bayern can restore the gap to six points
with a win but will need to do so with a depleted defence, with both Alphonso
Davies and Dayot Upamecano picking up long-term injuries in the international
break.
Coach Xabi Alonso told reporters
"maybe it wasn't the best performance, but it was consistent, stable and
serious. For the last period of the season -- these seven games -- if we stay
patient and calm, we know we have a chance."
"Of course we're dependent on other
results," Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah told DAZN, but added
"we're in it and we haven't given up yet. We're still believing."
German Cup holders Leverkusen play away at
third-division Arminia Bielefeld in the semi-finals of the competition on
Tuesday.
Pre-match, the task for Leverkusen was
simple. Alonso said Thursday his side would "fight until the end" and
"put as much pressure on them (Bayern) as possible."
With creative spark Florian Wirtz still
injured, Alonso opted to start strikers Boniface and Schick alongside each
other for the first time this season.
Despite the dual attacking threats up
front, it was diminutive forward who Garcia opened the scoring with 20 minutes
gone.
The Spaniard collected an Exequiel Palacios
pass on the edge of the box and unleashed a perfect strike into the near
corner.
Bochum, whose lowly table position belies
their recent form with wins over Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, struck
back just six minutes later with a stunning volley from Passlack.
With the scores level at the break,
Leverkusen retook the lead 15 minutes into the second period.
Garcia whipped in a curling cross from the
right, which found Piero Hincapie at the far post. The Ecuadorian laid on a
perfect cross-ball for Boniface, who put Leverkusen back in front.
Boniface scored again on the 80-minute mark
but the goal was struck off for a narrow offside.
With three minutes remaining, Boniface won
the ball in midfield and fed Palacios, who laid the ball on for Adli to slide
home.
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