Leverkusen established control early, with Alejandro Grimaldo opening the scoring in the 10th minute via a precise free kick. The hosts doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time, as Patrik Schick converted a penalty after a foul by Robin Koch on Nathan Tella.
Frankfurt responded just after halftime, with Can Uzun firing into the top corner following a corner to make it 2-1. The momentum shifted further when Leverkusen captain Robert Andrich was sent off in the 59th minute for a second yellow card, reducing the home side to ten men. In stoppage time, Ezequiel Fernández also received a second yellow, leaving Leverkusen with nine players for the closing moments.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Leverkusen sealed the win deep into added time, as Grimaldo struck his second free kick of the night. The victory moves Leverkusen to four points from three matches, while Frankfurt—who had started the season with two wins—suffered their first defeat. The attendance at BayArena was 30,210.
Historically, Bayer Leverkusen now hold 19 wins in their last 29 head-to-head meetings with Frankfurt, who have 9 victories and 1 draw. Both teams were missing key players due to injury: Jonas Hofmann and Martin Terrier for Leverkusen, Mario Götze and Jessic Ngankam for Frankfurt.
Lineups for the match included Mark Flekken in goal for Leverkusen, supported by Loic Badé, Jarell Quansah, and Edmond Tapsoba in defense. Frankfurt started Michael Zetterer in goal, with a back line featuring Rasmus Kristensen and Nnamdi Collins. For full match stats and live updates, visit FotMob.
Hjulmand’s tenure at Leverkusen begins with a critical result, especially after the early turbulence following the coaching change. Leverkusen’s resilience, despite ending the match with nine men, could signal a turnaround in their campaign. For more detailed match analysis and Bundesliga coverage, check the ESPN Match Report.