Leverkusen ease past Kiel to cut Bayerns lead to five points

Reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen eased past struggling Holstein Kiel 2-0 with a goal and an assist from Amine Adli in the Bundesliga on Saturday to close the gap on leaders Bayern Munich to five points.

The win earned Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso a new all-time league record, his 28th consecutive away game in the league without defeat, more than any other coach in Bundesliga history.

“We have developed a top mentality, and this is what this record shows,” Alonso said. “We are efficient, we are stable and want to keep doing that. In the next away game against Eintracht Frankfurt we want to show our qualities again.”

“We controlled the game and dominated even though it was not easy,” he said. “After the last two draws it was even more important to have an away win.”

Leverkusen drew against VfL Wolfsburg and Bayern in their previous two league matches.

But it was one-way traffic from the start and Leverkusen, who face Bayern in the Champions League Round of 16, took the lead through Patrik Schick when he volleyed in a superb Amine Adli cross at the far post in the ninth minute.

Morocco international Adli, who only returned to action last week following a leg fracture in October, scored on the stroke of halftime, chipping the ball over Kiel keeper Timon Weiner after good early work from Wirtz.

The hosts rarely crossed into the Leverkusen half, struggling with their opponents’ pace even though the tempo dropped somewhat after the break.

Wirtz did have two late chances for the visitors in the second half but could not add to their tally.

Leverkusen are second on 50 points, with Bayern in top spot on 55 and hosting Eintracht Frankfurt, third on 42, on Sunday. Kiel are anchored in last place on 13.