Super Eagles star Nathan Tella scored his first goal of the season to help Bayer Leverkusen edge past Bayern Munich in their DFB-Pokal Round of 16 clash on Tuesday evening.
Tella came off the bench to give Leverkusen the lead, and his crucial strike proved to be the match-winner at the Allianz Arena, Footballrover reports.
The 25-year-old Nigerian needed just eight minutes on the pitch to make such a huge impact, scoring the decisive goal after replacing Patrik Schick.
Bayer Leverkusen entered this clash on the back of a 2-1 victory over Union Berlin, eager to extend their winning streak—and they delivered.
Nathan Tella’s first goal of the season seals Leverkusen’s victory
The first half started with drama as, just 17 minutes into the game, the home team was reduced to ten men.
Manuel Neuer committed a reckless challenge, earning himself a deserved red card and leaving his team at a disadvantage.
Despite the early tension, the first half ended without much action or any goals to separate the sides.
The second half followed a similar pattern until the 61st minute when Nigerian forward Nathan Tella was introduced.
Just eight minutes later, Tella connected with a superb cross, delivering a brilliant header into the bottom-right corner to secure the victory for Leverkusen.
The goal, Tella’s first of the season, came at a crucial moment and proved to be the decisive factor in pushing Xabi Alonso’s men past their rivals and into the next round of the competition.
Bayer Leverkusen are now unbeaten in their last five matches, boasting an impressive record of four wins and one draw across all competitions.
Buoyed by this win, Nathan Tella and his teammates will look to carry their momentum into their upcoming Bundesliga clash against St. Pauli.
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