Leverkusen kicks off 2025 with win over illness-hit Dortmund as Bundesliga returns
Leverkusen's Nathan Tella, left, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Martin Meissner]
DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Bayer Leverkusen has started the year with a big boost to its hopes of defending the Bundesliga title after beating a depleted Borussia Dortmund 3-2. Nathan Tella scored after just 25 seconds of the first Bundesliga game of 2025 and Leverkusen scored on all of its first three shots against Dortmund on Friday. Dortmund was missing six ill players and had to field a makeshift defensive line. Leverkusen moves to one point off league leader Bayern Munich, which has its own injury problems ahead of facing Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.
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Leverkusen's Nathan Tella, left, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Martin Meissner