Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayer Leverkusen v Holstein Kiel - BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany - October 5, 2024 Bayer Leverkusen's Victor Boniface celebrates scoring their third goal with teammates before it is disallowed after a VAR review REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen
LEVERKUSEN, Germany (Reuters) - Champions Bayer Leverkusen scored twice in the opening eight minutes but squandered their lead to settle for a 2-2 draw against visitors Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Last season's domestic league and Cup winners have only themselves to blame for the slip-up having dominated in a largely one-sided first half where they should have scored more goals and put the game to bed.
Instead Leverkusen, winners 1-0 over AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, eased off and despite having a total 24 efforts towards goal compared to their opponents' eight, Kiel proved more efficient after the break to snatch an unexpected point.
Victor Boniface gave Leverkusen the perfect start, slotting in after four minutes to put the hosts in front with his fourth league goal of the campaign.
Before promoted Kiel had any time to recover, Leverkusen struck again, this time with Jonas Hofmann's low drive, to carve out a two-goal cushion following a mistake by goalkeeper Timon Weiner.
Leverkusen looked to be cruising to a comfortable win, having nine shots by the ninth minute with their opponents desperately scrambling to hang on.
Kiel did, however, recover toward the end of the first half with a goal on the stroke of halftime through Max Geschwill's shoulder at the far post.
They then drew level thanks to Fiete Arp's 69th minute penalty. Leverkusen drop to fifth in the standings on 11 points. Bayer Munich, top on 13, face Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
