Bayer Leverkusen staged a stunning second-half comeback, scoring four unanswered goals to overcome VfL Wolfsburg 6-3 at the BayArena. Alejandro Grimaldo led the charge with a double in a thrilling Bundesliga encounter.
The match on April 4, 2026, saw a clash of differing fortunes. Bayer Leverkusen, sitting sixth in the Bundesliga, aimed to solidify their European qualification hopes. Meanwhile, visitors Wolfsburg, battling relegation at 17th, desperately needed points to avoid the drop.
Wolfsburg started brightly, shocking the home crowd in the 16th minute. Jonas Wind clinically finished an attack, assisted by Koulierakis, to give his team an early lead.
The game’s frenetic pace truly ignited around the half-hour mark. Wolfsburg's J. Maehle received a yellow card for a foul in the 29th minute. This led to a penalty for Leverkusen, which Alejandro Grimaldo calmly converted in the 30th minute, leveling the score.
However, Wolfsburg responded immediately. Just one minute later, Maehle made amends for his earlier error by scoring, restoring the visitors' lead. The back-and-forth action continued relentlessly.
Another penalty was awarded to Wolfsburg in the 38th minute after Edmond Tapsoba picked up a yellow card. Christian Eriksen stepped up and dispatched it, extending Wolfsburg's surprising lead to 3-1. Wolfsburg coach D. Hecking also received a yellow card for dissent during this period.
Leverkusen refused to surrender before halftime. Grimaldo, proving instrumental, bagged his second goal of the match in the 44th minute. His effort, set up by E. Fernandez, brought Leverkusen within a single goal at the break, making it 3-2 to Wolfsburg.
At halftime, the BayArena buzzed with anticipation. Leverkusen needed to find defensive solidity and offensive precision to overturn the deficit. Wolfsburg, despite their lead, knew they had to withstand a strong second-half push from the hosts.
Leverkusen’s determination paid off early in the second half. Patrik Schick, introduced as a substitute at halftime, converted a penalty in the 53rd minute, bringing the score to 3-3. The momentum had clearly shifted.
The home side then pressed their advantage. Edmond Tapsoba, making up for his earlier booking, headed home a crucial goal in the 68th minute. This strike gave Bayer Leverkusen their first lead of the match.
Leverkusen then extended their control. Ibrahim Maza found the back of the net in the 73rd minute, with an assist from Exequiel Palacios, putting Leverkusen comfortably ahead 5-3. The visitors' resistance had been broken.
The rout was completed deep into stoppage time. Substitute Malik Tillman slotted home a sixth goal for Leverkusen in the 90+6th minute, sealing a remarkable 6-3 victory. It was a dominant second-half performance from the home side.
Bayer Leverkusen’s statistics underscored their dominance, registering 69% possession and 24 total shots, 11 of which were on target. Their expected goals (xG) stood at an impressive 4.2. Wolfsburg managed an xG of 2.02 from their 11 shots.
This thrilling win sees Bayer Leverkusen strengthen their grip on a European qualification spot. For VfL Wolfsburg, the heavy defeat deepens their relegation worries, leaving them in a precarious position near the bottom of the table.
