Super Eagles forward Nathan Tella grabbed his first assist of the season as Bayer Leverkusen settled for a 3-3 draw against ten-man Werder Bremen at Weserstadion, Soccernet.ng reports.
Tella started in Die Werkself's loss to Hoffenheim last week, and he retained his place in the starting eleven when they traveled to Werder Bremen.
Compatriot Victor Boniface, on the other hand did not even make the matchday squad. Both players did not get invited to the Super Eagles squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers next month.
But the Werder Bremen game was the best way to bounce back from the disappointment.
Bayer Leverkusen needed a victory to get their Bundesliga campaign on track under new coach Erik Ten Hag, and they wasted little time in getting the business done.
Bayer Leverkusen got the lead just five minutes into the tie, courtesy of Patrik Schick. He received an excellent cut back from Super Eagles star Tella in the box, and showed great composure to finish calmly and make it 1-0.
Then, half an hour later, Die Werkself doubled their lead through Max Tillman.
However, Romano Schmid pulled one back for Werder Bremen just before the break to make it 2-1.
Then, in the 63rd minute, Die Werkself got an extra boost, as Werder Bremen player Niklas Stark conceded a penalty and got sent off for a second bookable offense. Schick took advantage of the situation again, and converted calmly to make it 3-1 after 64 minutes.
It looked like the victory was already sealed for coach Ten Hag's men. But they allowed the home side to claw their way back, with Isaac Schmidt and Karim Coulibaly scoring in the closing 15 minutes of the game to ensure it ended 3-3.
Match highlights: Werder Bremen vs Bayer Leverkusen
How Well Did Nathan Tella Perform Against Werder Bremen?
Nathan Tella had an average performance for Bayer Leverkusen against Werder Bremen.
The Super Eagles star had 84 minutes of action before he was replaced by Ibrahim Maza.
Tella had 31 touches, one clearance, one blocked shot, and won three of his 12 duels in the game. He also lost possession ten times.
