Tiny Elversberg stun giants Bayer Leverkusen in first-ever Bundesliga match

[p]Another summer of change at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayer-leverkusen/4jcj2zMd/"]Leverkusen[/a] saw Kasper Hjulmand replaced by Carles Martinez Novell after Die Werkself missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification by just three points, and the new boss cut a furious figure on the touchline here.[/p][p]A strong start from the hosts saw [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/flekken-mark/INE64p13/"]Mark Flekken[/a] save from the lively [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/campbell-cole/UcgjQQhH/"]Cole Campbell[/a] at his near post, but that proved only a temporary reprieve.[/p][p][b]On eight minutes, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tapsoba-edmond/d4z5zQ7g/"]Edmond Tapsoba[/a] was caught on the ball in his own box as he failed to clear a cross, and after being found by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/onyeka-francis/nHOw5Jjn/"]Francis Onyeka[/a] on the edge of the box, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/petkov-lukas/lWlv74vQ/"]Lukas Petkov[/a] picked out the bottom corner to score his club’s first-ever top-flight goal.[/b][/p][p]Straight from the kick-off, the lethargic Leverkusen were caught cold with Tapsoba again the culprit.[/p][p][b]His wayward square pass was pounced upon by Campbell, who drove to the edge of the box and doubled his side’s lead with a superb finish less than a minute later.[/b][/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="2e12ad61-5296-4d87-a09f-6b6001d64a30" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="d62a8520-b3d1-481e-864e-2a3dee871143" original-width="3840" original-height="2160" /][p]The home supporters could hardly believe their eyes, and there was blood in the water as the shell-shocked visitors continued to cough up possession.[/p][p]After [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tillman-malik/pGHnblVn/"]Malik Tillman[/a] had his pocket picked, Onyeka forced a smart stop from Flekken before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/keidel-felix/KnGtK9t8/"]Felix Keidel[/a] and Petkov saw rebounds blocked.[/p][p]Leverkusen offered very little in response as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garcia-aleix/QD7noPXB/"]Aleix García[/a]’s free-kick deflected against the crossbar, the closest they came in a miserable first-half showing.[/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="56b23035-72d4-4cf7-8923-7485337d400b" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="1edb046b-d1aa-4c32-97af-bd459c358050" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]And things got no better following the restart, as within 30 seconds of kick-off, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/elversberg/6in2Eknb/"]Elversberg[/a] scored again.[/p][p][b]Leverkusen’s dreadful defending haunted them again, with Petkov’s cross from the right met by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mokwa-ntusu-david/p4xCB27i/"]David Mokwa[/a], who got in front of his marker to glance into the far corner. [/b][/p][p]Die Werkself were at least able to establish a greater foothold on proceedings from there, but they still went into the final 15 minutes without having registered a shot on target.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schick-patrik/WzQQSSfc/"]Patrik Schick[/a] ended that wait when he diverted [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maza-ibrahim/zPa6aAD8/"]Ibrahim Maza[/a]’s wayward shot into the back of the net, reducing the arrears and set hearts racing among the home crowd. [/b][/p][p][b]Tension was heightened as stoppage time began, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kofane-christian-michel/jk7yHyMk/"]Christian Kofane[/a] lashing home the rebound after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/boniface-victor/dd4GDL19/"]Victor Boniface[/a]’s effort came back off the bar. [/b][/p][p]Leverkusen made comebacks look routine en route to the title two years ago, but weren’t able to complete the turnaround here as their club-record 20-game unbeaten run against promoted sides came to an end.[/p][p]It’s a historic day for Elversberg, who become the first Bundesliga debutant since RB Leipzig in 2016 to avoid defeat in their first game.[/p][embed guid="4bdcaced-35b1-4108-b64b-7a3bd1d78160" url="https://x.com/SV07Elversberg/status/2093723241281888467" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/petkov-lukas/lWlv74vQ/"]Lukas Petkov[/a] (Elversberg)[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/bayer-leverkusen-4jcj2zMd/elversberg-6in2Eknb/summary/stats/?mid=6q9MVvD5"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]