The Albany Gazette - Schick steers Leverkusen past Olympiacos in Champions League

Having beaten Leverkusen at the same venue in January in the group stage, Olympiacos were again impressive but were undone by Schick's quick-fire brace midway through the second-half.

Leverkusen's win puts them in the driver's seat ahead of next week's return leg in Germany, with the winners of this tie set to face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the last 16.

Despite making it to the 2002 Champions League final, Wednesday's victory was remarkably Leverkusen's first away win in the knockout stages of the competition in their history.

It was also just their second victory in the knockout stages in 13 games dating back to that 2002 final, lost 2-1 to Real Madrid at Hampden Park.

In the lead-up to the match, Greek media reported Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis, the billionaire shipping magnate who also owns Premier League side Nottingham Forest, promised players a "record" bonus should they make it past Leverkusen.

As if spurred on, the hosts were brilliant early, pinning Leverkusen back in their own half in a breathless opening 25 minutes, forcing the visitors to attack on the counter.

Leverkusen absorbed the pressure and before going close after 28 minutes when home Ibrahim Maza forced home goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis into an acrobatic save.

Olympiacos forward Ayoub El Kaabi turned the ball in from a free-kick just before half-time but VAR found teammate Mehdi Taremi, who was offside, had lightly touched the ball, cancelling out the goal.

The hosts once again pinned Leverkusen back after the break but Leverkusen took their chance to hit on the break on the hour mark.

Poku won the ball in his own half and advanced goalwards before threading a superb pass to Schick, who guided his strike into the bottom corner.

The stunned hosts were unpicked again just three minutes later when Grimaldo swung in a pinpoint corner which Schick headed home to put the visitors in a commanding position.

(K.Lee--TAG)