Leverkusen's first-half blitz leaves Frankfurt reeling in 4-1 win

Bayer Leverkusen delivered a ruthless first-half performance, striking three times in just seven minutes, to leave hosts Eintracht Frankfurt reeling with a 4-1 victory in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

With 53 points, Leverkusen are holding strong to second place, sitting 11 points clear of third-placed Frankfurt. Bayern Munich remain firmly at the top with 61 points.

The breakthrough came in the 26th minute when Nathan Tella slipped in behind the Frankfurt defence. With a composed first touch, he set himself up before driving a low shot across goal, finding the bottom left corner.

Just three minutes later, Nordi Mukiele extended the lead with a close-range finish. The scoring spree was capped off in the 33rd minute when Patrik Schick calmly slotted the ball home from inside the box after latching onto a pass from the byline.

However, Leverkusen's confidence led to a lapse in concentration, allowing Frankfurt to capitalise. Seven minutes before the break, Hugo Ekitike seized on a misplaced back-pass, rounded goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, and slotted the ball into an empty net.

Leverkusen maintained their dominance in the second half, with Aleix García delivering a low long shot in the 62nd minute, following a clearance, that nestled into the far lower corner to seal the fourth and final goal of the night.