Medina’s 74th-minute goal sends Leverkusen third

Bayer Leverkusen opened their UEFA Europa League league-stage campaign with a 2-0 victory over Celje at the BayArena on Wednesday, September 16. The hosts led 1-0 at half-time and secured all three points after F. Medina added a second goal in the 74th minute.

Seslar own goal gives Leverkusen early lead

Leverkusen moved in front after 15 minutes when Celje’s S. Seslar scored an own goal. The early breakthrough gave the home side a platform, and the score remained 1-0 through the interval. With no other goals recorded before half-time, Celje went into the break needing a response to avoid starting the league stage with a defeat.

The match’s first major turning point came from that opening goal rather than a finish by a Leverkusen attacker. Seslar’s own goal put Bayer in control of the scoreline, while Celje had to manage the remainder of the contest from behind. The available match events do not record any significant disciplinary incidents or cards.

Medina seals the result after changes

Leverkusen strengthened their advantage in the 74th minute. F. Medina scored a normal goal with an assist from A. Garcia, creating a clearer margin and effectively settling the contest. The combination gave the hosts a direct second route to goal after their earlier lead had come through an own goal.

Both teams made several changes during the second half. Leverkusen introduced J. Quansah for Lucas in the 60th minute, then brought on A. Moreira for M. Terrier and E. Fernandez for M. Tillman one minute later. Celje also changed twice at 61 minutes, replacing A. Kucys with B. Kramer and Y. Dukuly with M. Ivansek, before V. Tusha replaced B. Verbic in the 69th minute. Medina’s goal followed those adjustments, while Garcia’s assist marked his contribution to the decisive second strike.

Leverkusen begin third, Celje fall to 35th

The result places Bayer Leverkusen third in the league-stage table after one game. They have three points, a 1-0 record and a goal difference of plus two. Celje are 35th with no points, one defeat and a goal difference of minus two.

The result also matched the teams’ listed pre-match form: Leverkusen came in after a win, while Celje’s most recent result had been a loss. The 2-0 score therefore extended Leverkusen’s positive start and left Celje without a point from their opening fixture. Jasper Vergoote of Belgium refereed the match, which finished at the BayArena with Leverkusen in command of the final score.