Bayer Leverkusen Reaches Europa League Semifinals After Late Draw Against West Ham

Bayer Leverkusen advanced to the Europa League semifinals on Thursday after a 1-1 draw with West Ham United in the second leg of their quarterfinal tie.

Leverkusen won the tie 3-1 on aggregate, extending their unbeaten run this season to 44 matches across all competitions.

West Ham took an early lead in the 13th minute through a header by Michail Antonio. However, Leverkusen equalized in the 89th minute when substitute Jeremie Frimpong's shot took a deflection and found the back of the net. The late goal sealed Leverkusen's spot in the semifinals.

Leverkusen, who recently clinched the Bundesliga title, struggled in the first half and were outplayed by a determined West Ham side. "We were lucky in the first half due to the typical English crowd pushing West Ham," admitted Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka. But the German champions improved after the break and controlled more of the game.

West Ham manager David Moyes expressed disappointment with the result but pride in his team's valiant effort. "We had chances to go 2-0 or 3-0 up," Moyes said. The match also saw a heated confrontation on the touchline that resulted in red cards for West Ham's assistant coach and a member of Leverkusen's staff.

Why this matters: Bayer Leverkusen remain in contention for a historic treble this season. In addition to the Europa League, they will face second-division Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final on May 25. Leverkusen's remarkable unbeaten run has surpassed the previous record of 43 matches set by Juventus.

Leverkusen will face AS Roma in the Europa League semifinals, a rematch of last season's semifinal which the Italian club won before losing to Sevilla in the final. "We controlled the game in the second half," said Xhaka, looking ahead to the upcoming tie against Roma. Leverkusen are seeking redemption and their first European trophy since winning the UEFA Cup in 1988.

Key Takeaways

• Bayer Leverkusen advanced to Europa League semifinals, extending unbeaten run to 44 matches.
• West Ham took early lead but Leverkusen equalized late to win 3-1 on aggregate.
• Leverkusen recently clinched Bundesliga title and are seeking first European trophy since 1988.
• Heated touchline confrontation resulted in red cards for West Ham and Leverkusen staff.
• Leverkusen will face AS Roma in Europa League semifinals, a rematch of last season.