Super Eagles forward Nathan Tella was on target as Bayer Leverkusen began their DFB-Pokal campaign with a 4-0 win over SV Wehen Wiesbaden on Saturday.
Key takeaways
- Tella struck in the 69th minute to put Leverkusen three goals ahead.
- Patrik Schick and Lucas Vázquez had already scored before half-time.
- Christian Kofane added a fourth goal in the 79th minute.
- Tella said Leverkusen’s rehearsed forward movements helped him read the attack.
- The Nigeria international praised his understanding with midfielder Ibrahim Maza.
Tella makes his mark
The Bundesliga outfit delivered a dominant display to secure its place in the second round, with Tella’s goal arriving midway through the second half. His finish in the 69th minute capped a carefully constructed attacking sequence.
The former Southampton player showed excellent positional awareness, moving into the right area before applying the finish at the end of the team move.
After the match, Tella said the patterns Leverkusen had practised in training allowed him to predict the next action once he reached the attacking position. He explained that the teammate delivering the ball would have two likely options: sending it across the face of goal or pulling it back into the danger area.
Tella also pointed to the connection he has developed with Ibrahim Maza. The forward felt the midfielder understood the run he intended to make and reacted accordingly. Although the ball took a deflection, Tella said it was heading into the net regardless.
He added that the opening half had been demanding and physically difficult over a prolonged period, despite Leverkusen eventually taking firm control of the contest.
Leverkusen complete comfortable win
Leverkusen established their advantage shortly before the interval when Patrik Schick opened the scoring in the 43rd minute. Lucas Vázquez increased the lead just two minutes after the restart, making it 2-0 in the 47th minute.
Tella supplied the third goal in the 69th minute, and Christian Kofane finished the scoring 10 minutes later. The result gave Leverkusen a comprehensive 4-0 victory and passage to the next round of the cup.
