Leverkusen put foot in Europe

Bayer Leverkusen delivered what the pundits predicted under new coach Roger Schmidt, lots of attacking football and just a little dereliction of defensive duties.

Stefan Kiessling, fresh from netting five times in the German Cup at the weekend, opened the scoring just five minutes into a rollercoaster first-half, played through by off-season signing Hakan Calhanoglu. Immediately, favorites Leverkusen held an away first-leg lead against the Danish champions coached by former Cologne tactician Stale Solbakken.

Defensive disarray from a pair of set pieces soon undid Calhanoglu and Kiessling's early work. Mathias Jörgensen headed home a ninth-minute corner to equalize, just four minutes before Daniel Amartey added another from Copenhagen's next corner routine. Despite a few subsequent scares, as Bayer Leverkusen sought to get to grips with a far more attacking system than former coaches Sami Hyppia and Sascha Lewadowski favored, the Pharmaceuticals began to re-establish control of the game.

Around the half-hour mark, Omer Toprak took advantage of the Danes' deep defensive line to ping a speculative long pass towards Son Heung-min. The ball didn't quite reach its target, instead deflecting off a defender's back straight into the path of Karim Bellarabi. Bellarabi, back at Leverkusen after a season on loan with Eintracht Braunschweig, made no mistake with his left foot, tying the score at 2-2.

New string-puller Calhanoglu on song

Shortly before the break, Son Heung-min neatly finished off the inside of the post to restore Leverkusen's lead. More impressive than the tidy finish, however, was the delicate through ball between two defenders from Calhanoglu putting the South Korean clean through.

Calhanoglu, one of the lone bright spots in Hamburg's miserable 2013/14 Bundesliga season, continued to shine in the second half, testing Copenhagen keeper Stephan Andersen with a vicious shot mid-way through the second period. More impressive, however, was the German-Turkish teenager's creativity: as well as the two goals, Calhangolu set up a futher five shots at goal during the course of the game.

Devoid of a creative driector ever since the sudden fall from grace of Brazilian Renato Augusto, Schmidt and Leverkusen will hope that Calhanoglu - given the number 10 jersey - can immediately establish himself in the role. Despite being criticized for his professionalism, loudly demanding to leave Hamburg just months after extending his contract, Calhanoglu has already displayed an ability to swiftly adapt to new challenges. His transition from the German third division with Karslruhe to struggling top-flight side HSV was virtually seamless last season; repeating that feat at a Champions League side would another feather in the cap of the young Turkey international.

Calhanoglu made way late in the game for another exciting off-season purchase, Swiss international striker Josip Drmic, whose goals couldn't save Nuremberg from relegation last season.

Leverkusen take a one-goal lead and three away goals back with them for the return leg on Wednesday, August 27. Despite missing out on chances to stretch their lead in the second half and guarantee lucrative participation in the Champions League proper, only a disaster at home could keep them out of the competition.