Bayer Leverkusen staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Wolfsburg 6-3 in a high-scoring Bundesliga encounter on Saturday, with Burkina Faso defender Edmond Tapsoba playing a decisive role in the turnaround.
The result keeps Leverkusen’s push for a UEFA Champions League place alive, while Wolfsburg’s struggles at the bottom of the table continue.
The match, played at the BayArena, brought together two sides with contrasting ambitions.
Leverkusen began the day chasing a top-four finish after a mixed run of form, while Wolfsburg arrived under pressure, having failed to win a league game since January and facing the threat of relegation.
Despite the hosts’ urgency, it was Wolfsburg who struck first.
Jonas Wind opened the scoring in the 16th minute, finishing clinically after controlling a headed clearance from Konstantinos Koulierakis.
Leverkusen responded on the half-hour mark when Alejandro Grimaldo converted a penalty after Ibrahim Maza was fouled.
However, the momentum swung back almost immediately as Joakim Mæhle restored Wolfsburg’s lead with a long-range effort just a minute later.
The visitors extended their advantage to 3-1 when Tapsoba brought down Mohamed Amoura in the penalty area, allowing Christian Eriksen to score from the spot.
At that point, Leverkusen appeared to be in trouble.
But just before half-time, Grimaldo struck again to reduce the deficit to 3-2, giving the home side renewed hope heading into the break.
The second half told a very different story.
Leverkusen emerged with greater intensity and quickly found an equaliser.
Substitute Patrik Schick converted a penalty in the 53rd minute after Nathan Tella was fouled, bringing the score to 3-3.
From there, the momentum firmly shifted in favour of the home side, and Tapsoba became central to the narrative.
Having conceded the earlier penalty, the Burkina Faso international redeemed himself in the 68th minute by scoring from close range following a corner.
His goal put Leverkusen ahead for the first time in the match and marked a turning point in the contest.
Just five minutes later, Ibrahim Maza extended the lead with a composed finish, effectively putting the game beyond Wolfsburg’s reach.
Leverkusen capped off an emphatic comeback in stoppage time when Malik Tillman added a sixth goal after being set up by Ernest Poku.
The nine-goal thriller underlined both Leverkusen’s attacking strength and Wolfsburg’s defensive vulnerabilities.
The victory lifts Leverkusen closer to their European ambitions, while Wolfsburg remain in a difficult position as the season approaches its conclusion.
