Pro Sports

Leverkusen beats Augsburg 2-0, eyes Champions League place

Posted February 23, 2020 6:00 am

BY CIARÃN FAHEY

Leverkusen's Moussa Diaby, left, celebrates with Jonathan Tah, second from left, after scoring his side opening goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and FC Augsburg in Leverkusen, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020. (Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) - Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Kai Havertz became the third youngest player to record 50 wins in the Bundesliga as he helped his team beat Augsburg 2-0 at home on Sunday.

Only Julian Draxler (20 years, 232 days) and Christian Pulisic (20 years, 235 days) were younger than Havertz (20 years, 249 days) when reaching the 50-win mark.

Goals in each half from Moussa Diaby and Nadiem Amiri were enough for Peter Bosz's side to move level on 43 points with fourth-place Borussia Moenchengladbach and stake its claim for a Champions League qualification place. In Germany, the top four qualify for Europe's premier team competition. Gladbach has a better goal difference for now.

It was Leverkusen's fifth consecutive win in all competitions.

'œWe can't pat each other on the back for long. We had to win and that has to be our goal,'ť said Havertz, whoset up Diaby's goal in the 25th minute with a brilliant through ball for the French forward.

The home side should have scored before Amiri made it 2-0 in the 59th. Sven Bender sent the ball on and five Augsburg defenders failed to close Amiri down before he scored his first Bundesliga goal for Leverkusen since joining in the summer from Hoffenheim.

Havertz almost scored afinethird goal minutes later but his effort crashed back off the crossbar. He was applauded off the field when he was taken off late.

Augsburg remained 11th, one point ahead of Union Berlin, which visits Eintracht Frankfurt on Monday.

PARTY POOPERS

Mainz wore special jerseys to mark the city's carnival celebrations against Wolfsburg, which duly spoiled the party atmosphere with a 4-0 rout.

Wolfsburg moved seventh and left visitors Mainz just one place above the relegation zone.

Renato Steffen scored twice and Josip Brekalo and Yannick Gerhardt grabbed the other goals.

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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CiarÃ¡n Fahey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfaheyAP

Leverkusen's Exequiel Palacios, left, and Augsburg's Daniel Baier, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and FC Augsburg in Leverkusen, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020. (Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Leverkusen's Moussa Diaby, left, celebrates with Jonathan Tah, right, after scoring his side opening goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and FC Augsburg in Leverkusen, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020. (Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Leverkusen's Kai Havertz, right, and Augsburg's Ohis Felix Uduokha challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and FC Augsburg in Leverkusen, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020. (Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Wolfsburg's Kevin Mbabu, left, battles for the ball with Jean-Paul Boetius and Daniel Brosinski from Mainz, right, battle for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and FSV Mainz 05 in Wolfsburg, Germany Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020. (Peter Steffen/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Wolfsburg's Renato Steffen celebrates against Mainz during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and FSV Mainz 05 in Wolfsburg, Germany Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020. (Peter Steffen/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

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