A hat-trick from Bayer Leverkusen's Patrik Schick inspired the Bundesliga champions to come from two goals down to beat Heidenheim 5-2 on Saturday.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
4' Match Event for Leverkusen vs 1.FC Heidenheim 1846
6' Match Event for Leverkusen vs 1.FC Heidenheim 1846
10' GOAL! Leverkusen 0-1 1.FC Heidenheim 1846 (Niklas Dorsch)
12' Match Event for Leverkusen vs 1.FC Heidenheim 1846
21' GOAL! Leverkusen 0-2 1.FC Heidenheim 1846 (Mathias Honsak)
28' Highlight from Leverkusen vs 1.FC Heidenheim 1846
31' GOAL! Leverkusen 1-2 1.FC Heidenheim 1846 (Granit Xhaka)
32' GOAL! Leverkusen 2-2 1.FC Heidenheim 1846 (Patrik Schick)
49' Highlight from Leverkusen vs 1.FC Heidenheim 1846
52' GOAL! Leverkusen 3-2 1.FC Heidenheim 1846 (Patrik Schick)
63' Match Event for Leverkusen vs 1.FC Heidenheim 1846
69' Match Event for Leverkusen vs 1.FC Heidenheim 1846
71' GOAL! Leverkusen 4-2 1.FC Heidenheim 1846 (Patrik Schick)
82' GOAL! Leverkusen 5-2 1.FC Heidenheim 1846 (Granit Xhaka)
Match Report
The emphatic triumph saw Xabi Alonso's side extend their unbeaten league run to nine matches, moving them up to fourth but still nine points behind leaders Bayern Munich.
However, Leverkusen found themselves behind inside the opening 10 minutes when Niklas Dorsch was teed up by Marvin Pieringer inside the box.
Heidenheim doubled their advantage soon after through Mathias Honsak, who danced his way beyond three defenders before finishing into the bottom left corner.
But two goals in two minutes from Exequiel Palacios and Schick drew the hosts level, with Leverkusen able to take a hold of the contest after the interval.
Schick notched his second of the game seven minutes after the restart to put Leverkusen ahead when he brilliantly flicked Florian Wirtz's cross beyond Kevin Muller.
The Czech striker completed his hat-trick with a header in the 71st minute, with Granit Xhaka sealing the win with a curled finish into the far left corner.
Data Debrief: Patrik hero
Ahead of kick-off, Leverkusen were dealt a huge injury blow with in-form striker Victor Boniface potentially ruled out until next year, but they needn't have worried.
Schick grasped his opportunity with both hands, putting on an impressive display and ending the game with more shots on target (four) and more touches in the opposition box (13), while also accumulating a team-high expected goals (xG) tally of 1.37 to Leverkusen's 2.05 total.
He has now scored three or more goals in a Bundesliga game on three occasions for Leverkusen, with only Ulf Kirsten (seven) having done so more times for the club.
Line-ups
Leverkusen XI: Hradecky, Xhaka, Alejandro Grimaldo, Tah, Schick, A.García, Exequiel Palacios, Tapsoba, Jeremie Frimpong, Piero Hincapié, Florian Wirtz
Subs: Lomb, Robert Andrich, Terrier, Nathan Tella, Kovar, Arthur, Artem Stepanov, Francis Onyeka
1.FC Heidenheim 1846 XI: Kevin Müller, Patrick Mainka, Jonas Föhrenbach, Benedikt Gimber, Mathias Honsak, Adrian Beck, Dorsch, Lennard Maloney, Omar Traoré, Jan Schöppner, Marvin Pieringer
Subs: Norman Theuerkauf, Sirlord Conteh, Tim Siersleben, Maximilian Breunig, Mikkel Kaufmann, Luca Kerber, Leo Scienza, Paul Wanner, Frank Feller