Football singularity-Chapter 685 Frankfurt
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[02/01/2021 | Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt | Bundesliga Matchweek 14]
The new year began not with a bang but with a frustrating stalemate in Frankfurt. The Deutsche Bank Park, even with its limited attendance, proved to be a hostile environment as Eintracht Frankfurt—desperate for points in their push toward European qualification—came out aggressive from the first whistle.
Derek Rae’s voice carried over the broadcast as the match kicked off: "Welcome back to Bundesliga action as we enter 2021. Leverkusen is looking to maintain its seven-point lead at the top, but Frankfurt are always dangerous at home."
The opening twenty minutes belonged entirely to the hosts. Leverkusen was slightly out of shape from the break, but just couldn’t seem to settle. It wasn’t for lack of trying, as recent arrival Jeremie Frimpong, out of Celtic, could be seen racing up the right wing, trying to start off on the right foot.
That proved to be a mistake against Eintracht’s high press, disrupting Leverkusen’s usual build-up play. André Silva got free on a counter, managing to slip behind Frimpong, dragging Tah and Demirbay out of position. He pierced into the box with pace, angling toward the goal as Hardecky raced out of the goal.
"André Silva draws blood," Derek Rae exclaimed—his voice rising over the thunderous roar of the limited, home crowd. "Frankfurt take the lead, and Leverkusen are on the back foot!"
[Frankfurt 1-0 Leverkusen - André Silva 18]
[34]
They tacked on another goal in the 34th minute from a set piece where Filip Kostić swung in a corner with pace toward the near post. Makoto Hasebe bet Baumgartlinger to it, his header powerful and directed downward. Hradecky got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out.
"Frankfurt double the lead!" Rae exclaimed. "And Leverkusen’s defence, so solid all season, has been breached again."
"Rae, we could be on the verge of an upset." Robson analysed that Bosz could be seen angrily giving his players a tongue-lashing on the sidelines. "The just haven’t been able to get started in this match. Rakim, who had been hot all season, has particularly gone missing."
"They have done a good job of isolating him on the left flank and breaking up that Wirtz connection on the buildup," Rae noted as the players got settled again. "They will have to come out sharper if they want to get anything out of this match."
[Frankfurt 2-0 Leverkusen - Makoto Hasebe 34]
~~~
[46’]
The second half began with Leverkusen pressing Frankfurt’s backline aggressively. In the 51st minute, the adjustment paid off when Baumgartlinger won the ball in midfield with a clean sliding tackle. He sent a pass to Wirtz, who turned sharply away from his marker, skipping past the outstretched boot.
He drove forward ten yards before playing a diagonal ball toward Rakim, now operating on the right wing. The switch had caught Frankfurt’s left-back, Martin Hinteregger, slightly out of position. Rakim took it in stride, cutting inside onto his left foot, seemingly gearing up to shoot.
Two defenders converged on him, and he slipped a pass through the narrowest gap to Diaby, who had made a run from the opposite flank. The Frenchman struck it first-time from eighteen yards, his shot deflecting off a defender and looping over the goalkeeper.
"GOAL!" Rae shouted. "Moussa Diaby pulls one back! Game on!"
[Frankfurt 2-1 Leverkusen — Moussa Diaby 51’]
~~~
[63’]
After scoring, Leverkusen pressed for an equaliser. Wirtz dropped deep repeatedly, trying to pull Frankfurt’s midfield out of shape as he linked passes together. In the 67th minute, he received from Aránguiz, turned, and played a quick one-two with Schick before launching a diagonal toward Rakim.
Back on the left flank, Rakim chested the cross-field pass down, taking it in stride. He cut inside on the ball’s bounce, gliding past a lunging Hinteregger with a sharp stepover. Looking up from the edge of the box, he took his chances, curling a shot at the far post. Kevin Trapp was equal to it, diving full stretch, tipping it around the post with his fingertips.
"So close!" Robson exclaimed. "Rakim inches away from the equaliser!"
The corner came in dangerously, finding Tapsoba at the near post. His header was goal-bound, but Evan Ndicka threw himself in front of it, blocking desperately. The ball fell to Baumgartlinger, who struck it on the volley, but couldn’t bring it down, and it flew just over the bar.
~~~
[78’]
Bosz made his final changes, bringing on some much-needed fresh legs: Bailey and Amiri on for Diaby and Frimpong. Frankfurt, sensing danger, dropped deeper, defending with nine men behind the ball. But it was for nought as in the 82nd minute, Leverkusen found their breakthrough.
Bailey received on the right, driving at his marker at pace before cutting the ball back to the edge of the box. Wirtz controlled it with one touch, shifted it onto his right foot with a second, then curled it toward the bottom corner past all outstretched boots. Trapp dove, trying to get a hand to it, but couldn’t reach it. The ball squeezed inside the far post with a soft thud as the visitors raced to celebrate.
"FLORIAN WIRTZ!" Rae roared. "The equaliser! Leverkusen have clawed their way back!"
[Frankfurt 2-2 Leverkusen — Florian Wirtz 82’]
[90+4’]
Both teams pushed for a winner in the dying minutes. Frankfurt won a corner in the 92nd minute, launching bodies forward. The delivery was dangerous, but Hradecky punched it clear with authority. Leverkusen countered immediately with Bailey driving forward, playing a diagonal pass to Rakim on the left.
He chased it down to the side of the box, taking one touch, then whipped in a low cross toward Schick at the near post. The Czech striker’s flick was inches wide, sailing past the far post. "Oh, so close to victory," Rae exclaimed amid the sighs from the visitors. The referee checked his watch. *(FWEEET, FWEEET, FWEEEET!)
[FT: Frankfurt 2-2 Leverkusen]
~~~
[09/01/2021 | BayArena, Leverkusen | Bundesliga Matchweek 15]
[Leverkusen vs Werder Bremen]
Bremen arrived at the BayArena sitting 13th in the table, desperate for points to avoid relegation danger. But Leverkusen, stung by the Frankfurt draw, came out with intensity that bordered on ruthless. Rakim especially put on a clinic that bordered on personal vendetta.
[12’]
The opening goal came early as Wirtz dropped deep to collect from Tapsoba, turning away from his marker with a clever Cruyff turn. He drove forward fifteen yards before playing a diagonal pass into Rakim’s feet on the left wing. Bremen’s right-back, Theodor Gebre Selassie, had studied film on him and was eager to implement the game plan.
He underestimates Rakim’s quick feet, though, as the moment he came tos a stop, ready to stand him up, the winger nudged the ball through his legs. He tried to give chase, but the winger feinted a cut inwards, drawing another defender before exploding down the flank. One of the centre backs moved to close him down, but a set of step overs and a touch to move the ball onto his right foot created enough separation.
His shot was struck cleanly from twenty yards, dipping and swerving through the air. Jiri Pavlenka in Bremen’s goal dove desperately, but the ball was already past him, smashing into the top right corner. "RAKIM REX!" Rae shouted. "What a strike! And just like that, Leverkusen take the lead!"
[Leverkusen 1-0 Werder Bremen — Rakim Rex 12’]
[28’]
The second goal came from a set piece. Demirbay swung in a free-kick from the left, curling it toward the penalty spot. Bodies collided in the six-yard box—Tapsoba rose highest, but a defender’s shoulder blocked his header.
The rebound fell to Rakim at the edge of the box, where Rakim found himself unmarked. He controlled it on his thigh, nudging it to his side as he stepped away from a nearby defender. He let it drop slightly, then volleyed it with his right foot around knee height.
The technique was perfect as his foot whipped forward meeting the ball dead centere creating a soft bang. The ball cannoned off, flying high toward the top right corner, piercing the net before Pavlenka could react.
"GOAL NUMBER TWO!" Robson exclaimed. "Rakim Rex is on fire tonight!"
[Leverkusen 2-0 Werder Bremen — Rakim Rex 28’]
~~~
[56’]
The third goal was pure poetry. Aránguiz intercepted a loose pass in midfield, immediately playing it forward to Wirtz. The German teenager turned, seeing space, and drove at Bremen’s backline. Two defenders converged on him, but Wirtz played a clever reverse pass into Rakim’s run.
The winger had timed it perfectly, staying onside by inches, bursting into the box with only Pavlenka to beat. The goalkeeper rushed out, trying to narrow the angle. Rakim shaped to shoot with his right foot—then dragged it onto his left and finished calmly into the bottom corner.
Rakim sprinted toward the corner flag, sliding on his knees as his teammates mobbed him. The BayArena erupted, the limited crowd creating noise. "HAT-TRICK!" Rae’s voice exploded. "RAKIM REX COMPLETES HIS HAT-TRICK! What a performance!"
[Leverkusen 3-0 Werder Bremen — Rakim Rex 56’]
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To Be Continued...
