Leverkusen 2-1 Freiburg: Schick winner ends Freiburg's unbeaten start and knocks them off top

Bayer Leverkusen beat Bundesliga leaders SC Freiburg 2-1 at the BayArena on Sunday 18 October, ending Freiburg’s unbeaten start to the season, according to the Bundesliga and Flashscore. The match kicked off at 3.30pm local time (1:30pm Sunday GMT).

Derry Scherhant put Freiburg ahead in the 14th minute, finishing at the far post after a move involving Philipp Treu and Niklas Beste. Ibrahim Maza equalised five minutes later with an outside-of-the-boot finish from Patrik Schick’s pass, the league said.

Schick scored the winner in the 76th minute from close range after Maza beat several defenders near the byline and squared the ball. Freiburg substitute Lucas Höler headed just wide in added time, the Bundesliga reported.

The Bundesliga said Schick is the only Leverkusen player to score in each of the club’s first six matches of a Bundesliga season. The league named Maza Man of the Match; Flashscore gave its own award to Schick.

Play was held up early on when Freiburg’s travelling supporters threw tennis balls onto the pitch. Goal, citing the AFP and SID agencies, reported that the stoppage lasted about five minutes and that the fans were protesting against restrictions on away supporters at the BayArena.

It was Freiburg’s first defeat in 10 competitive matches this season and Leverkusen’s fifth straight win in all competitions, Flashscore reported. Bayern Munich go top on 14 points, ahead of Borussia Dortmund on goal difference. Freiburg and Leverkusen both have 13 points, with Freiburg third on goal difference. Freiburg host Bayern next Sunday, Goal reported.