Bayer Leverkusen Win 2-0 vs Olympiacos in UCL Playoff First Leg

Bayer Leverkusen secured a 2-0 victory over Olympiacos in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League knockout playoff on Wednesday at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, Greece, thanks to a second-half brace from striker Patrik Schick that gave the German side a commanding lead ahead of the return fixture.

The match began with an open first half, as both teams traded chances. Olympiacos applied early pressure when Mehdi Taremi fired wide after latching onto a long ball, while Leverkusen responded through Ernest Poku, who drove a shot off target, and Schick, whose close-range effort was smothered by goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis. Midfielder Ibrahim Maza nearly broke the deadlock for the visitors, but Tzolakis tipped his point-blank volley onto the crossbar. Poku spurned a one-on-one opportunity shortly after, and Olympiacos thought they had taken the lead in stoppage time when Ayoub El Kaabi headed in a free kick. However, video assistant referee intervention ruled out the goal, as the ball had deflected off Taremi, who was in an offside position.

After the interval, Olympiacos pushed forward, with Gelson Martins and Giulian Biancone missing headers, but Leverkusen...