Bayer Leverkusen lost the Rhine derby away to 1. FC Cologne 1-0 on Sunday. The defeat at the Müngersdorfer Stadion is a setback in the race for European qualification. The team, sitting sixth in the table with 13 points, has now recorded two wins and three defeats in its last five league matches.
The only goal of the match came in the 77th minute from Amine Gouiri of Olympique Marseille. The French striker finished off a Cologne counter-attack following a lost ball in Leverkusen's midfield. Until then, Xabi Alonso's team had failed to create clear chances despite dominating possession.
"We had control, but we weren't efficient enough in the decisive moments," Alonso said after the match. "A single mistake cost us the game, that's bitter." The Basque coach was also without first-choice goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecký, who was unavailable due to a minor injury picked up in the final training session.
With this loss, Bayer Leverkusen remain in sixth place in the Bundesliga table with 13 points. The Werkself are now five points behind leaders Bayern Munich. Their recent form over the last five matches shows two wins and three defeats. Their season record after eight games reads four wins, one draw, and three defeats, with 18 goals scored and 16 conceded.
The next matchday sees Leverkusen return to home action. The fixture date and opponent are already listed on the schedule. Top scorer Patrik Schick, who has seven goals this season, failed to find the net in the derby. The team had most recently suffered a 1-0 defeat to Marseille on Thursday, following a 4-2 loss to VfB Stuttgart on October 31.
Further reading: dazn.com
