Leverkusen dispatch 4-1 Hertha Berlin

BERLIN (AP) — Hertha Berlin’s bid to pull away from the Bundesliga relegation zone was undone by a 4-1 loss at Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday.

Moussa Diaby, Florian Wirtz and Jérémie Frimpong shone for a Leverkusen who had just gone two league games without winning. Xabi Alonso’s team put on a fine display of attacking football.

Dutchman Frimpong and Diaby combined on the right, the latter setting up the pass which Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun capitalized on to open the scoring after 12 minutes.

The game was almost identical for the second goal in the 21st minute. Frimpong and Odilon Kossounou put Diaby on the right and the French striker returned the ball for Frimpong to score.

Frimpong had to leave injured at 29, but by then Leverkusen dominated the game at will.

After the break, Diaby smashed a shot off the crossbar and then scored the third goal in the 60th minute.

The penalty executed by Belgian striker Dodi Lukebakio at 67 brought the visitors closer. French winger Amine Adli put the final 4-1 at 73.

The loss left Hertha one point above the bottom four in the table: Stuttgart, Hoffenheim, Schalke and Bochum, all tied on 19 points.

Leverkusen climbed to ninth place.

“Hopefully we can maintain this level because we have two very tough weeks ahead of us,” Alonso said.

Leverkusen will face Hungarian champions Ferencváros in the Europa League Round of 16 on Thursday.

KNOWN RIVALS

Wolfsburg drew 2-2 with Eintracht Frankfurt in a duel that pitted two managers against their former clubs.

That of Frankfurt Oliver Glasner previously led at Wolfsburgo, while his counterpart Niko Kovac had a stage at the head of Frankfurt.

Wolfsburg took the lead with Omar Marmoush’s goal but the visitors turned things around with goals from Randal Kolo Muani and Evan Ndicka. Yannick Gerhardt scored the final equalizing goal. All the goals were scored in the first half.

Frankfurt remain sixth, with Wolfsburg five points behind in eighth place.