Lukas Hradecky’s Leverkusen was losing in the final moments of the match, but managed to complete their double championship with a victory in the German Super Cup.
Finnish goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky skipper Bayer Leverkusen won another title after beating Stuttgart in the German Supercup match.
Leverkusen, who played at their home stadium Patrik Schick leveled the score at 2-2 just over two minutes before the end of full time.
In the penalty shootout, Hradecky stretched to save by Frans Krätzig from a shot attempt and Leverkusen, who won the Bundesliga and the German Cup last season, started the new season right away with a trophy.
– We know that we have the skill to rise from the position of the chaser. And it’s nice that we didn’t forget those skills on vacation. Fortunately, we practiced penalties last week, Hradecky told Sportschau.
I thanked my Finnish colleague
Hradecky made a somewhat unusual save in the penalty shootout. From his point of view, the Finn was placed more to the right instead of the center of the goalposts.
– I honestly have to thank my Finnish goalkeeper colleague. Jesse Joronen revealed to me once that he doesn’t always start in the middle, Hradecky said, according to Kicker.
Joronen represents Venezia, which has been promoted to Serie A, Italy’s main league level. However, Hradecky did not agree to reveal his tricks any further.
After the Supercup, the team released a video in which Hradecky lifts the trophy into the air with a big gesture.
– It’s good that we’ve been in this situation twice already and we know what to do, the update wrote.
Leverkusen played more than half of the match undermanned Martin Terrier received a red card for a dangerous tackle in the 37th minute of the game.
Ready for the championship hunt
The Supercup is played between the Bundesliga and the German cup champion. As the double champion, Leverkusen received the Bundesliga’s second-placed Stuttgart. The Supercup victory is Leverkusen’s first. It has previously played in a match in 1993.
The meaning of the Supercup was again heatedly debated in Germany and the match was called, among other things, the “fair cup”. Stuttgart head coach Sebastian Hoeness however, emphasized that his team played for the championship “very seriously”.
The German Bundesliga starts in a week. Head coach in his second full season Xabi Alonso According to Hradecky, the streak of success of Leverkusen, which leaves under him, is not reflected in the team.
– On the contrary. Our hunger is not satisfied. Of course it’s because of Xabi, but also because of our team.