New coach sees nine-man Leverkusen beat Frankfurt / Photo: INA FASSBENDER - AFP
New coach sees nine-man Leverkusen beat Frankfurt
Alex Grimaldo scored a free-kick in each half as Bayer Leverkusen survived two red cards to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 at home on Friday in new coach Kasper Hjulmand's debut.
Grimaldo curled in an expert free kick 10 minutes in and Patrik Schick converted a penalty to give Leverkusen a 2-0 lead at half-time.
Can Uzun pulled one back for Frankfurt with 52 minutes gone to keep the visitors in the match.
Leverkusen's hopes of a first win of the season looked in doubt when captain Robert Andrich got his marching orders for a second yellow card with half an hour left -- and looked worse when Equi Fernandez was also sent off in stoppage time.
But Grimaldo, handed the captain's armband when Andrich was sent off, once again curled in from outside the box with eight minutes gone to seal a famous victory.
Appointed on Monday in the seat vacated by former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, sacked after just two games, Hjulmand opened his account with a win.
Grimaldo, widely tipped to join the exodus exiting Leverkusen this summer, put the hosts ahead just 10 minutes in, cutting a free kick over the wall and in, hitting the post and then the back of goalie Michael Zetterer.
Schick, another holdout from Bayer's incredible unbeaten season in 2023-24, doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time, cooly converting from the spot after Nathan Tella was fouled.
Uzun cut the deficit when his strike was deflected past Leverkusen goalie Flekken with 52 minutes played.
Germany midfielder Andrich's second yellow for a harmless but lazy studs up challenge turned up the heat on the home side, who had not won a league match since April.
Leverkusen lost another man in stoppage time when Fernandez was sent from the field but the hosts would be the next to score when Grimaldo once again showed his prowess from set pieces, threading the ball expertly home.
The result extended Leverkusen's recent record against Frankfurt, particularly at home. Leverkusen have now beaten Frankfurt in their past six games and have not lost to them at home since 2013.
On Saturday, Bayern Munich host newly promoted Hamburg, while Borussia Dortmund travel to minnows Heidenheim.
N.Macleod--EWJ
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