Leverkusen slump at home in Ten Hag's first Bundesliga game
LEVERKUSEN, Germany :Bayer Leverkusen suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat to Hoffenheim in their Bundesliga season opener on Saturday to hand new coach Erik ten Hag a losing league debut.
Despite going 1-0 up, it was not the performance Dutchman Ten Hag, who replaced Xabi Alonso amid a team overhaul, had wanted. Star player Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Jonathan Tah and Granit Xhaka are among more than half a dozen key players who left in the summer.
The 2024 German domestic double winners and last season's runners-up lacked ideas and precision up front while their backline badly missed Tah's dominant presence.
"Clearly, I am disappointed. It was a game of few chances and Hoffenheim were more effective," Ten Hag said. "We did not get into the final third of the pitch often enough. Twice we did not pay attention and we conceded a goal.
"We have a lot of work ahead of us which is not unexpected. From my experience it may take some time. But we need to remain calm and keep working," added the Dutchman, who has previously coached Ajax Amsterdam and Manchester United.
"What is positive is we did not allow too much at the back and the players showed spirit, fighting until the end."
Hoffenheim hit the post through Tim Lemperle after two minutes but Leverkusen scored first when Jarell Qansah headed in for a sixth-minute lead.
Fisnik Asllani, however, bagged a 25th-minute equaliser after beating keeper Mark Flekken and things got worse for the hosts seven minutes after the restart when Lemperle drilled in a low shot from 22 metres.
Leverkusen did not get a look-in for much of the second half until Nathan Tella fired into the side netting.
Champions Bayern Munich opened the Bundesliga season on Friday with a 6-0 demolition of RB Leipzig.
