Nathan Tella, the Nigerian international, delivered an impressive performance for Bayer Leverkusen in their thrilling 3-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday, according to Soccernet.ng.
Making his debut under new head coach Kasper Hjulmand-who took over after the club parted ways with Dutch manager Erik Ten Hag two weeks prior-Tella was included in the starting eleven.
Kasper Hjulmand officially appointed as Bayer Leverkusen’s head coach until 2027! pic.twitter.com/0anwKDo0Wq
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Operating primarily as a winger, Tella was a constant threat down the flanks, showcasing his agility and creativity.
Leverkusen wasted no time asserting dominance, with Alex Grimaldo curling a stunning free-kick from beyond 25 yards to open the scoring in the 10th minute.
From the outset, Tella was lively and incisive. Just before halftime, he was brought down inside the penalty area while attempting to weave through defenders.
Patrik Schick confidently converted the resulting penalty, doubling Leverkusen’s lead as the teams headed into the break.
The second half saw Eintracht Frankfurt take control, pulling a goal back through Can Yilmaz Uzun within seven minutes of the restart.
Leverkusen’s situation became more challenging when Robert Andrich received a second yellow card in the 59th minute, reducing the home side to tella-goal-thriller/” title=”… Shines in Six-Goal Thriller as Werder Bremen and … Battle to 3-3 Draw”>ten men.
Despite the mounting pressure from Frankfurt, the former Bundesliga runners-up stood firm, managing the game effectively.
Time-wasting tactics led referee Deniz Aytekin to add seven minutes of stoppage time.
Early in added time, Bayer Leverkusen suffered another blow as Ezequiel Fernandes was shown a second yellow card, leaving the team with nine players on the pitch.
Although Eintracht Frankfurt gained momentum with the numerical advantage, they failed to find the net again. Instead, Grimaldo sealed the victory by scoring a second free-kick goal just before the final whistle, confirming a 3-1 win for Leverkusen.
Nathan Tella’s Impact in Bayer Leverkusen’s Win
Nathan Tella stood out as one of the best performers on the pitch, earning the second-highest rating from Sofascore.
Beyond winning the crucial penalty, Tella attempted two shots on goal and successfully completed three out of five dribbles, demonstrating his ability to challenge defenders.
Throughout the match, Tella was involved in 35 touches and maintained an 82% passing accuracy. He also contributed defensively with three tackles and one interception.
After 82 minutes of energetic play, he was substituted for Christian Kofane.
If Tella continues to perform at this level, he is poised to become a regular feature in Kasper Hjulmand’s lineup moving forward.
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