BERLIN, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Bayer Leverkusen missed the chance to secure its first Champions League victory under new coach Kasper Hjulmand, settling for a 1-1 draw against PSV Eindhoven at the BayArena on Wednesday.
The visitors struck first in the early stages when veteran Ivan Perisic headed home, but his effort was ruled offside by VAR. Leverkusen grew into the game, pushing forward through Alejandro Grimaldo and Ernest Poku. Grimaldo hit the post after just 11 minutes, while Malik Tillman and Poku were both denied by the outstanding Matej Kovar in PSV's goal.
The first half ended goalless despite Leverkusen's dominance, with PSV gaining some foothold toward the break. Axel Tape's injury forced an early substitution for the hosts, adding to the disruption.
Still, the Werkself carried momentum into the second half and were finally rewarded in the 65th minute. Christian Kofane, making a rare start due to Patrik Schick's injury, capitalized on a defensive error and finished calmly for his maiden Champions League strike.
However, Leverkusen's joy was short-lived. Just seven minutes later, Ismael Saibari equalized with a composed finish into the top corner after being set up smartly by Guus Til.
From then on, PSV gained confidence and pressed Leverkusen deeper into their half. The German side looked to respond through quick counters but lacked precision in the final third.
In the closing minutes, Grimaldo once again had the chance to seal the victory, only for Kovar to deny him. Despite a lively contest with chances at both ends, neither side managed to grab a winner.
The result leaves both clubs with work to do in a competitive league phase. Leverkusen will next face French giants Paris Saint-Germain on October 21, while PSV meets Napoli.
"I'm disappointed. We played one of our best games, but we didn't reward ourselves," said Grimaldo. "I'm confident we can win the upcoming matches. We are on the right track, created plenty of chances, and things are improving game by game." ■
