Nine-man Bayer Leverkusen achieved his first victory of the Bundesliga season with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over colleague Champions League kans hosts Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday, thanks to the double strike by Alex Grimaldo, which marked a successful debut for new coach Kasper Hjulmand.
Hjulmand took over this week after dismissing Erik ten Hag after Leverkusen could win none of the first two league games.
The host looked sharper under the DANE, quickly took control and left Eintracht, which had won his previous two league games this season, to play a supporting role in the first half. But Leverkusen had two players sent in the second half.
The result ended the unbeaten run of Frankfurt from eight games that stretched until last season.
Leverkusen, who will travel to FC Copenhagen in their Champions League opener next week, opened his account at Spain International Grimaldos stunning 25 meters free kick in the upper corner.
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Nathan Tella and Patrik Schick each came close before the latter took a second goal with a stop-time penalty, awarded for an error on the first.
The visitor, who houses Galatasaray in the Champions League next week, drew a goal seven minutes after the restart with Can Uzun’s Volley, and in the 59th Leverkusen, Captain Robert Andrich saw rejected with a second booking.
Tella should have scored again in the 84th, but keeper Michael Zetterer blocked his shot in the close range.
The host then lagged behind nine players after Ezequiel Fernandez received his marching orders with a second yellow card in a bad final before Grimaldo arranged the nerves with an excellent free kick in the stop time for his second goal of the evening mksc.
Published on September 13, 2025
