Augsburg score late winner to dent Bayer Leverkusen's Champions League hopes

[p]The visitors made a nervy start as a poor clearance fell straight into [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maza-ibrahim/zPa6aAD8/"]Ibrahim Maza[/a]’s path, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dahmen-finn/bi35uzgT/"]Finn Dahmen[/a] pushed his subsequent strike over.[/p][p][b]However, he was helpless to stop [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schick-patrik/WzQQSSfc/"]Patrik Schick[/a] from giving [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayer-leverkusen/4jcj2zMd/"]Leverkusen[/a] the lead with his 75th goal for the club, a bullet header from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tapsoba-edmond/d4z5zQ7g/"]Edmond Tapsoba[/a]’s cross that made it four goals in as many league appearances for the striker. [/b][/p][p][b]Leverkusen’s Bundesliga games had averaged a league-high two first-half goals per match prior to kick-off, and that trend continued when Augsburg equalised almost immediately through Fabian Rieder, who connected with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/giannoulis-dimitris/r9fp8Nk5/"]Dimitris Giannoulis[/a] lay-off with a strike that seemingly bamboozled [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/flekken-mark/INE64p13/"]Mark Flekken[/a].[/b][/p][p]Leverkusen squandered many chances to retake the lead before half-time, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tella-nathan/QRtPmK69/"]Nathan Tella[/a] showing why he had not scored in his previous 22 appearances as he looped a header over, shortly before dragging a shot wide from a promising position.[/p][p]Dahmen then did well to tip Tapsoba’s header away, before Schick and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/grimaldo-alex/6cAIrW5Q/"]Alejandro Grimaldo[/a] fired off-target. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ribeiro-rodrigo/OdUdAnt9/"]Rodrigo Ribeiro[/a] also flashed wide in what was a rare Augsburg opportunity, but the visitors had Dahmen to thank for keeping the score level after a crucial double save to deny Tella and Schick.[/p][p]Contrary to the first half, it was Flekken who was the busier goalkeeper early in the second, as he first denied Giannoulis from a tight angle before parrying away Ribeiro’s effort moments later.[/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="7fd7e47b-0fbd-48df-9526-984f56519836" credit-line="StatsPerform via Opta" guid="1e769c6d-5a4e-4c68-b9f9-35e62d6f8337" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]However, Leverkusen were still threatening themselves, and Tella would have been in disbelief at the fact he had not yet scored, as he dribbled past a couple of defenders but shot straight at Dahmen with the goal gaping. Grimaldo then tried his luck after netting twice in Leverkusen’s last home game, only to see the ball fly the wrong side of the post.[/p][p]The hosts continued to probe but with no penetration, as Maza curled wide before Tella fluffed yet another chance, with the ball going through his legs just a few yards from goal. It was clearly not their day as they were soon denied a penalty after a VAR review following appeals for a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gouweleeuw-jeffrey/ptzdhA4a/"]Jeffrey Gouweleeuw[/a]’s handball in the box.[/p][p]Then, in a dramatic turn of events, Augsburg were awarded their own penalty in stoppage time as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/culbreath-montrell/dzS5hfkh/"]Montrell Culbreath[/a] clumsily fouled [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ogundu-uchenna/WM1QevIa/"]Uchenna Ogundu[/a] in the area, and it was on Rieder to break Leverkusen hearts.[/p][p][b]The midfielder calmly converted the spot-kick to record his brace and earn the visitors a first win in six Bundesliga games.[/b][/p][p]As a result, Leverkusen’s seven-match unbeaten league run was thwarted, with their focus now turning to their DFB-Pokal semi-final against Bayern Munich in midweek. Meanwhile, Augsburg record a shock league double over their opponents but stay in mid-table obscurity, although this will be a victory that the travelling support will never forget.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rieder-fabian/GQOPPSgM/"]Fabian Rieder[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/augsburg/fTVNku3I/"]Augsburg[/a])[/b][/p][image alt="Match stats" id="7e1eda6a-d7e9-43cc-9e37-5a8434baba87" credit-line="StatsPerform via Opta" guid="19700acc-0305-4022-9471-2327590626a3" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/augsburg-fTVNku3I/bayer-leverkusen-4jcj2zMd/?mid=z9D8yGCt"][b]Check out the match summary here[/b][/a].[/p]