The host was amazed minutes before the break when Bellarabi set up Brandt and then scored himself on a counterattack. Bellarabi also struck the post before coming off early in the second half.
Bremen was given hope of a comeback, however, when the 40-year-old Claudio Pizarro, brought on as a halftime substitute, pulled one back on the hour mark, three minutes before Yuya Osako scored to make it 3-2.
Osako goal was initially ruled out for offside, but the ball came off a Leverkusen defender and it was awarded by VAR. Kai Havertz shocked fans at the Weser-Stadion with a chip over the goalkeeper in the 67th. Aleksandar Dragovic then made it 5-2 and Leverkusen missed further chances as Bremen’s defense collapsed.
The home side miserable evening was completed with an own-goal from Sebastian Langkamp in the 77th.
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