Match Report
On paper the standings were lopsided — Bayer 04 Leverkusen 4th with 58 points, Hannover 96 17th with 21, 37 apart. Hannover 96 had been over-performing their table position on recent form: 8th in the league over the last five rounds against 17th overall. Scoring rates set the scale: Hannover 96 0.91 scored and 2.09 conceded per game, Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2.03 and 1.53, with the league averaging 1.59.
Three consecutive defeats weighed on Hannover 96.
Across 17 recorded meetings, Hannover 96 have 1 win to Bayer 04 Leverkusen's 10, with 6 draws, at 3.06 goals per meeting. Where history says 3.06 goals per meeting, the last five say 4.2.
The match was played at HDI Arena in Hanover (capacity 49,200). S. Storks took charge of the match — our records show 75 games refereed with an average of 2.2 yellow cards per game. On the scoreboard, Bayer 04 Leverkusen led 2-0 at the break; 3 second-half goals set the final 2-3.