Match report as Kai Havertz's double inspires Bayer Leverkusen to thumping 4-1 Bundesliga victory at Werder Bremen
Tuesday 19 May 2020 07:02, UK
Kai Havertz scored twice as Bayer Leverkusen closed the gap to fourth-placed RB Leipzig to one point after making a winning return to Bundesliga action with a 4-1 victory at Werder Bremen.
Havertz, who is understood to have been monitored by Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham in recent months, picked up where he left off following the coronavirus suspension, scoring two headers in the first half (28, 33) to take his tally to four goals in three games in all competitions.
In between Havertz's goals, Theodor Gebre Selassie (30) scored for Bremen in what was a frantic five minutes of football, but it only proved to be a consolation as second-half strikes from Mitchell Weiser (61) and Kerem Demirbay (78) wrapped up a comprehensive victory for the visitors.
Victory sees Leverkusen, who have now won 13 of their last 15 games in all competitions, close in on the Champions League places, while Bremen's plight down at the bottom of the Bundesliga deepens with Florian Kohfeldt's side, who have just one win in 12 matches, five points adrift of Fortuna Dusseldorf, who are in the relegation play-off place.
After an extremely cagey opening at a near-empty Weserstadion, Havertz, who had barely been involved in the action, made his mark as the game burst to life in the 28th minute with three goals in five minutes and 37 seconds.
Moussa Diaby surged down the right and sent in an inviting cross which Havertz climbed highest to head home at the far post.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Selassie bundled the ball home at the near post from a corner to level in the 30th minute.
The socially distanced celebrations from the home players had barely finished by the time Leverkusen had regained their lead. Demirbay floated in an inviting free-kick, with Havertz left unmarked to power home another header for his 12th goal of the season.
Bremen needed another quick response and could not have been presented with a better chance six minutes before the break as Leonardo Bittencourt burst through on goal, but he lacked composure when it mattered most and blazed over.
The game was made safe by the visitors 15 minutes into the second half as the impressive Diaby used his pace and trickery to good effect again, this time on the left, and he centered for Weiser, who was given the freedom of the home box to convert with a header.
It became a rout in the 78th minute when substitute Karim Bellarabi sent through a delightful no-look through-ball to Demirbay, who did not disappoint with a sumptuous chipped finish to round off proceedings.
The hype surrounding Kai Havertz continues to build, and rightly so.
Havertz is already attracting plenty of attention from Europe's top clubs but his double at Bremen serves as a timely reminder of his undoubted talent.
The 20-year-old was in excellent form before the enforced break due to the coronavirus pandemic and he picked up exactly where he left off, taking his tally to 12 goals for the season.
He has now been involved in seven goals (four goals, three assists) in his last five Bundesliga games and, in all competitions, no Bundesliga player has been involved in more goals in 2020 than Havertz, who has been involved in 16 (nine goals and seven assists).
Bayer Leverkusen are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Borussia Monchengladbach; Kick-off is at 2.30pm.
Meanwhile, Werder Bremen take on Freiburg at the Schwarzwald-Stadion, also on Saturday at 2.30pm.
