= “articlemeta-left”> Updates 25th February 2015 22:42 clock

Leverkusen (AFP) – Bayer Leverkusen with a lot of passion, a strong goalkeeper Bernd Leno and an unerring Hakan Calhanoglu the gateway to Quarterfinals pushed in the Champions League. The Werkself won the first knockout round first leg against last year’s finalist Atlético Madrid deserved with 1: 0 (0: 0) and hopes may well wonder what this good performance before the second leg on March 17 at the Spanish champions make of qualifying.

Calhanoglu made in the 57th minute for the somewhat surprising victory of the outsider. Previously, the other three German Champions League participants Bayern Munich, Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund had missed a win in their first leg knockout round. Madrid will be without the return leg in addition to the locked Tiago (Yellow-Red / 76 / repeated challenge) and Diego Godin (3rd yellow card).

30.210 spectators in the BayArena had Leverkusen, who have fallen from third to sixth place after the winter break in the Bundesliga, before the break, the better chances and put the Rojiblancos from the beginning before problems. The first chance of the hosts posted by Lars Bender. The recovered from a meniscus bruise captain missed with a shot from 20 yards after 7 minutes but clearly the goal. In the 13th minute then rescued the former Munich and Wolfsburg Bundesliga player Mario Mandzukic Emir Spahic against on the line. In the 26th minute of the Bosnians had again bad luck when he only hit the crossbar with a brilliant shot from distance.

The Spanish master brought the well differentiated defense of the home side just before the break twice in embarrassment. Before seconds before the half time whistle prevented Leno with a world-class save for a scissors kick from Tiago a possible residue. Shortly before the Bayer goalkeeper had the bullet prepare Antoine Griezmann snatched the ball

After the break Bayer seamless continuation of its strong performance and came after an hour and a deserved lead. After prolonged assisted by Karim Bell Arabi managed Calhanoglu his second goal of the competition. In the following years it missed the hosts where striker Stefan Kiessling again only replacement until the 80th minute, better play to their counterattack.

Best actors on the part of Leverkusen, which was recently failed miserably each against Liverpool, FC Barcelona and last season against Paris St Germain with two defeats in the knockout stages of the Champions League, were Leno, Spahic and Bell Arabi , The visitors Tiago and Griezmann knew to please