Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 PSV: Hjulmand´s side made to rue missed chances

Bayer Leverkusen were held to a second successive draw to start their Champions League campaign after a 1-1 stalemate against PSV.

Despite a dominant display, which saw Kasper Hjulmand’s side produce 1.84 expected goals (xG) to PSV’s 0.48, the hosts were wasteful in front of goal as the Danish coach awaits his first win in the competition with the Bundesliga club.

PSV thought they took the lead after six minutes when Ivan Perisic headed past Mark Flekken, but the Croatian winger strayed offside from Dennis Man’s cross, while Alejandro Grimaldo slammed the post with a thunderous shot from inside the box.

Yarek Gasiorowski almost headed the ball into his net just before the break, but Christian Kofane did find the net for Leverkusen in the 65th minute after a comedy of errors from the PSV defenders led to a simple finish.

But Ismael Saibari equalised for the visitors against the run of play soon after Kofane’s opener, with Guus Til finding the Moroccan with a clever pass inside the box.

The best chance for a winner fell to Grimaldo in the third minute of additional time, but the Leverkusen skipper failed to beat Matej Kovar from close range as the German side settled for a point.

Our youngest ever Champions League goalscorer! #B04PSV #aCROSSeurope pic.twitter.com/Z9N2W0fap6

— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) October 1, 2025

Data Debrief: PSV’s German struggles continue

PSV are now without a win away to a German side in European competition in 18 games (D4 L14) since beating Eintracht Braunschweig 2-1 in the Cup in December 1977.

Leverkusen, meanwhile, extended their unbeaten run against Dutch sides in European competition to eight (W4 D4).

Kofane also became the first Cameroonian player to score for the Werkself in the Champions League and just the third African, after Nigerians Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella, as well as their youngest-ever scorer in the competition (19 years, 67 days).