Bayer Leverkusen gave the Bundesliga's Matchday 26 a befitting send-off with an emphatic win over Werder Bremen on Monday night. Led by Kai Havertz, Peter Bosz's men secured a 4-1 win at the Weserstadion to make their way into the league's record book.
After a somewhat slow start, the game sprang into life with the 20-year-old playmaker getting on the end of a cross by Moussa Diaby to score the opener in the 28th minute. Less than four minutes later, Bremen equalized through Gebre Selassie.
With 12 minutes of the first half left to play, Havertz gave his side the edge once. This time, the 20-year-old German sensation redirected an in-swinging free-kick by Demiraby past Bremen shot-stopper Jiri Pavlenka.
Where's the marking?
— Ja! Watch the Bundesliga live on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 18, 2020
Of all the people to leave alone from a set-piece...
Kai Havertz has his second of the game and Leverkusen lead again #BundesligaIsBack pic.twitter.com/bI85NC15ku
Mitchell Weiser all but sealed the win with yet another headed goal in the 61st-minute before Karem Demirbay capped an excellent performance by lobbing home Karim Bellarabi no-look pass in the 78th-minute.
Ooooh now that is a satisfying goal!
— Ja! Watch the Bundesliga live on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 18, 2020
Karim Bellarabi with the no-look pass, Kerem Demirbay sits the keeper down and hits the dink to finish
Leverkusen's Karim/Karem connection #BundesligaIsBack pic.twitter.com/0kPNxri1u4
Monday's win took Leverkusen point count to 50 in 26 matches - one point away from fourth-placed RB Leipzig. With three of the four goals coming from headers, Die Werkself became the first team in six years to score three headed goals in a single Bundesliga match. The last team to achieve the feat was Schalke 04 against VfB Stuttgart back in December 2014.
Relatively, Bayer Leverkusen youngster Florian Wirtz joined an illustrious company with his Bundesliga debut. Aged 17 years and 15 days, the German U17 star became the youngest player to debut in the league in the club's history. He is also the third-youngest Bundesliga debutant ever after Nuri Sahin (16 years, 11 months and 1 day) and Yann Bisseck (16 years, 11 months and 28 days).