Bundesliga: Volland the savior for unconvincing Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 Stuttgart, BayArena
(Volland 76', 83')

For long periods this game had been Leverkusen's season in a microcosm. Domination of possession, several chances created, but a lack of composure in front of goal. That scenario played out time and time again as the three points gradually slipped away from a Leverkusen side whose domestic under-achievement can be rivalled only by Schalke this season.

Leverkusen rode their luck too. Stuttgart's Pablo Maffeo smartly got away from Julian Brandt and Tin Jedvaj before being upended in the box by Charles Aranguiz. Nothing was given, despite the clear trip, and those are the kinds of decisions that are not helping Stuttgart's cause as they recorded another defeat, making their victory at Nuremberg last time out look more like an anomaly than the start of a revival. For Markus Weinzierl, it's back to the drawing board.

When Leverkusen break, they do so with speed and purpose and it's hard to fathom why Friday night's victory only takes them to 10th, when they have the players to be in the top four.  Chances came and went for Leverkusen, who grew increasingly desperate as the second half wore on. A slick counter-attack saw Brandt feed Karim Bellarabi, whose low cross from the left was begging to be converted — but Volland couldn't direct the ball into the gaping net.

But Volland eventually proved Leverkusen's savior. His knack of being in the right place at the right time was this time matched by his knack for scoring vital goals, and his header from close range after a short corner was met with relief around a sparsely filled BayArena.

Rather than protect their slender lead and grind out the win, the 76th minute opener liberated the hosts, who played the remainder of the game like they had something to prove. Pouring forward at every opportunity, Leverkusen overwhelmed Stuttgart in the final minutes and the visitors had no way of keeping out Volland's second, when it came with seven minutes to play. The striker didn't break stride as a he received Kai Havertz's cross from the right to lash in a thumping volley.

The result, while deserved on the balance of play, was a little flattering to a Heiko Herrlich's side, who made heavy weather of it for long periods. And had a key mistake by the officials not gone against Stuttgart, this may had been when Stuttgart were celebrating drawing level on points with their opponents. A win is a win, but this one will do little to silence Leverkusen's doubters.