Kasper Hjulmand seizes first Bayer Leverkusen win in fiery Frankfurt clash

Leverkusen, who had lost momentum under former coach Erik Ten Hag, finally got off the mark with a strong display despite being reduced to nine players.

Spain international Alex Grimaldo stood out, scoring two free kicks, one in each half, and Patrik Schick added a penalty deep in stoppage time when Nathan Tella was fouled.

Frankurt's goal was scored by Can Uzun, but they could not make use of their numerical advantage after Leverkusen saw Robert Andrich and Ezequiel Fernandez both sent off in the second half.

Speaking after the match, Hjulmand said: "What a match. A lot happened this evening, but we got the three points and I am very happy."

He praised the defensive effort, saying, "We did not allow many chances, we had a lot of energy, and we worked a lot defensively. We can definitely improve, of course, but three points are very important for us."

When asked about the red cards, Hjulmand described one of the dismissals, the one involving Fernández, as a misunderstanding: "The official saw a hand movement like this ⦠and it was a complete misunderstanding." He added that beyond that, he just wants to "enjoy the win."

Leverkusen also continue to adjust after a summer of big departures. Florian Wirtz is no longer at the club, he joined Liverpool earlier this summer for a British-record fee.

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