Leverkusen come from behind to shock Barca (ENG)

Leverkusen come from behind to shock Barca

LEVERKUSEN, Germany, September 25 (AFP)
Bayer Leverkusen overturned a growing Champions League trend Tuesday as they came from behind to score a thrilling 2-1 success over Barcelona which moves the Germans top of Group F.
Many of the continent's top sides, including holders Bayern Munich, have failed to pack in the fans for opening phase matches but that was not the case in Leverkusen, where a sell-out crowd of 23,000 watched their side stage a second-half fightback to take the points.
The Catalan club, competition winners in 1992, took the lead in the 22nd minute.
Spanish international Luis Enrique raced down the left to pick up a pass from Patrick Kluivert, cut inside and switched the ball onto his right foot before lifting the ball over keeper Hans-Jorg Butt and into the top left hand corner of the net.
Fabio Rochembach had almost put Barca ahead in the 14th minute with a vicious freekick which Leverkusen Hans-Jorg Butt just got to.
Seven minutes later the Germans missed a gilt-edged chance to go level when Butt stroked a penalty wide, the kick awarded for a Patrick Andersson foul on Michael Ballack.
Butt had scored 21 out of 23 previous spotkicks but this one smacked against Roberto Bonano's post.
But after the interval Leverkusen stepped up their tempo and Yildiray Basturk, only on as a substitute for Zoltan Sebescen five minutes earlier, levelled on 52 minutes with a confident strike.
Oliver Neuville then poached the winner for Klaus Toppmoller's side with 21 minutes left and Barca were by then a spent force.
Brazilian forward Lucio won the ball for Bayer in midfield and found German international Bernd Schneider, who set up a volley for fellow international Oliver Neuville.
Leverkusen won in Lyon last week and look well-placed already for a place in the second phase whereas Barca failed to build on their comprehensive win at Fenerbahce of Turkey.

source: dailysoccer.com

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