UEFA Europa League QF 1st Leg B- Leverkusen 1-1 USG

Florian Wirtz secured Bayer Leverkusen a 1-1 draw against Union Saint-Gilloise in their UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg at the BayArena.

Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Saint-Gilloise
Goals: 0-1 Boniface 51' (assist: Teuma), 1-1 Wirtz 82' (assist: Azmoun)

Enjoying a seven-match winning run in all competitions, Leverkusen made a lively start. With just three minutes on the clock, Saint-Gilloise goalkeeper Anthony Moris was forced to save at the feet of Wirtz, who shot wide moments later. The visitors gave as good as they got, though, and had already gone close through Victor Boniface, when Lazare Amani clipped the woodwork from range. Lukas Hradecky saved well from Boniface as the Belgians turned the screw, before the goal frame prevented Ismael Kandouss from heading in a corner. Bayer responded in kind, with Moussa Diaby twice dragging wide either side of a golden opportunity for Piero Hincapie, who failed to hit the target with a header following a mistake by Moris.

Leverkusen were up against it after the restart as Boniface fired Saint-Gilloise ahead. Hradecky had to be alert to stop Yorbe Vertessen going through on goal with Gilloise's next attack, but Bayer rode the storm and managed to wrestle back momentum in the closing stages. Jeremie Frimpong miscued from close range, before Wirtz collected a pass from substitute Sardar Azmoun and drove an unstoppable equaliser into the top corner. Kerem Demirbay shot over and Azmoun tickled the side netting as Leverkusen pushed for a late winner. It wasn't forthcoming, but Xabi Alonso will be quietly confident of getting the result needed in next week's decisive return leg in Belgium.

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