Patrik Schick’s dramatic stoppage-time winner sealed a thrilling 4-3 comeback victory for Bayer Leverkusen against Stuttgart, keeping them firmly in the Bundesliga title race.
The match began with high intensity, and Stuttgart struck first in the 15th minute when Ermedin Demirovic reacted quickest to a rebound, slotting home after goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky had initially denied Jamie Leweling.
Stuttgart doubled their advantage early in the second half as Nick Woltemade combined well with Enzo Millot before finishing clinically past Hradecky.
However, Leverkusen responded swiftly, with Jeremie Frimpong pulling one back in the 56th minute. He capitalised on a loose ball at the edge of the box and drilled a low shot into the bottom corner.
Stuttgart re-established their two-goal cushion just six minutes later when a dangerous cross from the right was deflected by Granit Xhaka, leaving Hradecky helpless. But Leverkusen refused to back down, and Piero Hincapie’s close-range header in the 68th minute set up a tense finale.
As Leverkusen pressed for an equaliser, Stuttgart appeared increasingly unsettled. Their pressure paid off in the 88th minute when Victor Boniface delivered a cross that Angelo Stiller inadvertently turned into his own net.
With the momentum firmly on their side, Leverkusen pushed for a winner, and it arrived deep into stoppage time. Frimpong delivered an accurate cross from the right, and Schick rose highest to send a powerful header past goalkeeper Alexander Nubel, securing a stunning victory.
The result brings Leverkusen within six points of league leaders Bayern Munich, with eight matches remaining. Meanwhile, Stuttgart will be frustrated by their fifth consecutive game without a win.
“It’s a very, very important win for us. There are still eight games to go, and a lot can happen,” said Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso.
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Eintracht Frankfurt solidified their fourth-place position with a 3-1 victory over relegation-threatened Bochum, while Heidenheim triumphed 3-1 over Holstein Kiel in a crucial clash at the bottom of the table.
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