Copenhagen downed in Leverkusen
FC Copenhagen will play in the UEFA Europa League this season after falling at the final hurdle of Champions League qualification, losing 4-0 to Bundesliga outfit Bayer, 7-2 on aggregate.
by Joe Short
Son Heung-Min fired Bayer into the lead two minutes in after a mistake from Mathias Zanka, only for Hakan Calhanoglu to convert a deflected free-kick five minutes later.
Stefan Kiessling added a third from the penalty spot before half-time and bagged another with a neat finish from a defence-splitting through-ball.
Youssef Toutouh hit the crossbar for FCK while Bashkim Kadrii fired over but it wasn’t to be for Ståle Solbakken’s men as the Lions were undone by an impressive Bayer outfit.
Nightmare start for FCK
FCK travelled to Germany with faint optimism despite their 3-2 first-leg defeat in Telia Parken a week previous and centre-back Mikael Antonsson had explained how the first goal would be crucial to the tie.
And indeed it was, as Copenhagen got off to the worst possible start when a mistake from Zanka let Heung-Min clean through of goal. The midfielder comfortably slotted past Stefan Anderson to open the scoring just two minutes in and stun the FCK players.
And, before the vocal travelling Lions fans knew it, it was 2-0. Danny Amankwaa gave away a free-kick 25 yards out after considerable Bayer pressure. That gave Calhanoglu the task of stepping up and, with the help of a wicked deflection off the wall, Andersen was beaten.
Bayer sat back somewhat after the two goals, affording the Lions more freedom in defence and midfield, but it was the home side who again had the ball in the back of the net - only for referee Mark Clattenburg to rule it out for offside.
Nearing the half-hour and a slight deflection prevented Pierre Bengtsson halving the deficit from a free-kick, but within seconds of his resulting corner Bayer had a penalty — so quick was their counter attack that the backtracking Amankwaa bundled over a Leverkusen forward in the box. Kiessling stepped up to thunder past Andersen and put the tie beyond doubt.
Copenhagen reacted with a concerted midfield effort to shore up holes in the line exploited by Bayer and the Lions achieved some promising forward play without threatening Bernd Leno’s goal. Their only real shot of the half came moments before the break when Bashkim Kadrii half-volleyed over from the edge of the box after neat work from Tom Høgli down the right.
Spirited second-half performance
Steve de Ridder replaced Andreas Cornelius at half-time but it was Bayer who threatened first, Andersen spectacularly tipping a shot blocked by Høgli around his left-hand post.
Moments after the save FCK had a golden chance of their own when Høgli and Amankwaa combined down the right to find Toutouh on his own on the left of Bayer’s box, but the striker crashed his rising effort off the crossbar and out to safety.
The shot would be Toutouh’s last act of the night as the winger was subbed off for Rurik Gislason just before the hour. Seven minutes later and Bayer had a fourth despite some promising FCK possession — Kiessling latching on to a lang ball before nestling his shot across Andersen and into the far right corner.
Another neat save from Andersen prevented it being 5-0 as the game entered the final 10 minutes, while Copenhagen continued to search for a goal with little joy on a frustrating evening on the Rhine.
The defeat means FCK will enter the Europa League group stage, with the draw scheduled to take place in UEFA’s Swiss headquarters on Friday.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN: 4 FC COPENHAGEN: 0 (7-2 on aggregate)
Bayer Leverkusen: Leno, Jedvaj, Spahic, Omer Toprak, Boenisch, Castro, Rolfes, Bellarabi, Heung-Min, Calhanoglu, Kiessling.
FC Copenhagen: Andersen, Høgli, Antonsson, Jørgensen, Bengtsson, Amankwaa, Delaney, Claudemir, Toutouh, Kadrii, Cornelius.
Goals: Heung-Min, Bayer (2’), Calhanoglu, Bayer (7’), Kiessling, Bayer (31’ pen. & 66’).
Referee: Mark Clattenburg.
