7M - Koln 1-2 Leverkusen: Patrik Schick brace ends hosts' five-game unbeaten run

Bayer Leverkusen secured a hard-fought 2-1 away victory against 1. FC Koln at the RheinEnergieStadion on April 25, 2026, in Bundesliga Matchday 31. Patrik Schick scored both goals for the visitors, while Luca Waldschmidt's late strike proved insufficient for the hosts.

Koln started brightly, creating early opportunities through Said El Mala and Jakub Kaminski, but failed to convert. Leverkusen capitalized on a first-half error, with Schick converting a 43rd-minute penalty after a VAR-reviewed handball by Eric Martel. The Czech forward doubled the lead just after halftime, finishing a swift counter-attack initiated by Nathan Tella, who marked his 100th competitive appearance for the club.

Koln responded with sustained pressure. Manager Steffen Baumgart introduced Jan Thielmann and Alessio Castro-Montes to boost the attack. The changes paid off when Waldschmidt, brought on in the 72nd minute, converted from close range in the 77th minute following a scramble in the box. Despite six minutes of added time and a goal-line clearance by Edmond Tapsoba, Koln could not find an equalizer, ending their five-match unbeaten sequence.

Schick was named Man of the Match for his clinical finishing, marking his sixth and seventh career goals against Koln. The result strengthens Leverkusen's position in the upper half of the table, while Koln's pursuit of a higher finish faces a setback.