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On April 12, Beijing time, in the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals, Bundesliga leader Bayer Leverkusen faced West Ham United, ranked seventh in the Premier League, on their own stadium. It was a perfect battle of tactics and intelligence, and in the end, Bayer Leverkusen won the game with a score of 2-0 thanks to coach Alonso's god-level substitution strategy and the excellent performance of the players.
From the very beginning of the game, Bayer Leverkusen showed their dominance on the field. The team completely overwhelmed their opponents with a staggering 73 per cent possession and 33 shots on goal (13 of which were on target), which is not just a display of numbers, but a visual reflection of Bayer Leverkusen's attacking momentum. Despite this, Bayer Leverkusen's shots were repeatedly blocked by West Ham goalkeeper Fabianski in the first half, and the two sides drew 0-0 at half-time.
Heading into the second half, Bayer Leverkusen did not slack off and continued their high-intensity attack. However, just when it was thought that the game could end in a draw, Bayer Leverkusen manager Marcos Alonso made a decisive change. He replaced the lackluster midfielder with Hofmann in the 75th minute, a change that quickly showed its tactical value.
In the 83rd minute, in a corner kick, Bayer Leverkusen continued to threaten in the box, and finally it was Hofmann, who had just come on as a substitute, volleyed from the edge of the box, and the ball hit the net like an arrow from the string, breaking the deadlock for Leverkusen. In the final stages of the game, it was also Hoffman who crossed from the right and found Bonifaces, who headed home to make it 2-0.
The win not only added to Leverkusen's Europa League campaign, but also extended their unbeaten run to 42 games. In addition, for a coach who is quick to react to tactical changes, Alonso's substitution was undoubtedly a successful tactical exercise. In his post-match press conference, Alonso spoke highly of his decision-making and pointed out that his ability to change the course of the game at crucial moments was key to his team's success.
However, the game also sparked discussion among fans and analysts about West Ham's strategy. Despite their excellent defensive performance, their overly conservative tactical set-up and lack of effective attacking means resulted in just one attempt at goal in the entire game, which somewhat limited their ability to stand up to Bayer Leverkusen. West Ham will need to find a more balanced transition strategy while keeping their defence solid in order to be more threatening against tough opponents.
In addition, goalkeeper Fabianski's performance in the game was one of the few bright spots for West Ham. He kept his cool on a number of occasions under strong attacks and saved a series of brilliant saves to keep his team from conceding more points. Despite ultimately failing to help the team score points, his performance undoubtedly earned the respect of his opponents and spectators alike.
Bayer Leverkusen's victory made their prospects in the Europa League even brighter. The team's deep squad and excellent tactical execution are their main strengths. However, as a next step, Alonso may need to consider how to find more effective ways to find the back of the net when the opposition is heavily defending, especially against a higher-level European opponent who may be up against him.
The game's data analysis shows that Bayer Leverkusen's high possession rate and shots on goal are a reflection of their overwhelming dominance, but it also exposes a certain efficiency problem – it takes a lot of shots to convert into goals. This is partly a reminder that future training may need to focus more on precision shooting and creating more quality attacking opportunities.
For West Ham, they will need to make a bold tactical change in the second leg in the face of a headwinding first leg and try to launch a more aggressive counter-attack at home. Bayer Leverkusen, on the other hand, will need to maintain their competitive form and mental advantage to ensure they can advance to the next round.
Overall, the game was not only a win for Bayer Leverkusen's tactics and execution, but also a lot of highlights for the Europa League. All eyes will be on the German powerhouse in the upcoming matches to see if they can go on a higher European stage while remaining unbeaten.