Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Afonso Moreira scored twice on his Bayer Leverkusen debut and Victor Boniface added a brace as the Werkself thrashed SF Baumberg 7-0 in Carles Martínez's first pre-season match as head coach.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
Bayer Leverkusen, playing their first match under new head coach Carles Martínez, needed time to settle against their fifth-tier hosts. The match was played over 2×35 minutes at Bayer 04's request — a format agreed between the clubs to manage fitness loads in the early stages of pre-season.
SF Baumberg held their own for the opening quarter-hour, even creating a couple of half-chances. But Leverkusen's first organised attack produced the opening goal. Jonas Hofmann released Arthur down the right flank, and the Brazilian's cross was met by Moreira, who powered a header past the Baumberg goalkeeper from full stride (19').
Three minutes later, Arthur again won a race down the wing and drove the ball across goal, where Christian Kofane slotted through the keeper's legs for Leverkusen's second (22'). Aleix García then played in Moreira, who made no mistake to complete his brace in the 27th minute. The Portuguese had a chance to complete a first-half hat-trick but missed in the 30th minute. The first 35-minute period ended 3-0.
Martínez changed all 11 outfield players at half-time, with Robert Andrich taking the captain's armband from Edmond Tapsoba. The system remained 4-2-3-1. Nathan Tella went close before Victor Boniface made it 4-0 after 49 minutes, latching onto Ezequiel Fernández's pass. Boniface struck again four minutes later from Farid Alfa-Ruprecht's delivery (53'). Andrich added a sixth with a well-placed long-range shot (56'), and Tella completed the scoring in the 67th minute.
The turning point
Moreira's 19th-minute debut header was the key. The goal settled any early-season nerves for a Leverkusen side featuring several new faces and ended any hopes Baumberg had of a competitive contest. The quickfire double from Moreira and Kofane in the 22nd and 23rd minutes effectively ended the match as a contest inside 25 minutes. Baumberg had been competitive until that point — after it, the gulf of five divisions became impossible to bridge.
Key performers
Afonso Moreira (Bayer Leverkusen) — The 21-year-old marked his debut with a brace, scoring in the 19th and 27th minutes. He had replaced the late withdrawal Eliesse Ben Seghir in the starting XI. Speaking in a media roundtable on 17 July, Moreira said: "Bayer 04 is a great club, a good place to develop as a player and as a person. I want to show myself to the world and I'm happy to do that here in Leverkusen." His movement and finishing suggest he will be a key attacking outlet for Martínez this season.
Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen) — The Nigerian striker came off the bench at half-time and scored twice (49', 53'), demonstrating the ruthless finishing that made him the Bundesliga's top scorer in 2024/25. His brace was the second of the afternoon for Leverkusen.
Arthur (Bayer Leverkusen) — The Brazilian right-back provided two first-half assists within three minutes, first crossing for Moreira's opener and then setting up Kofane's goal. His overlapping runs caused problems throughout the first period.
Player of the Match: Afonso Moreira — Two goals on his unofficial debut, just days after joining the club. A statement of intent from the €29.5m signing.
By the numbers — interpreted
The provider data shows Leverkusen scored seven goals from limited chances — the second half alone produced four goals in an 18-minute spell (49' to 67'), reflecting the gulf in class rather than a high-volume attacking display. Both halves were played by entirely different XIs, meaning Martínez got a 35-minute look at 22 different players. The first half was more controlled (3-0), the second more expansive (4-0). No cards were recorded across the full 70 minutes, and possession was predictably one-sided.
What it means
This was the first of six pre-season friendlies for Bayer Leverkusen's 2026/27 summer programme. The Werkself continue their preparations with a trip to Kickers Offenbach on 25 July (15:00 CEST), followed by FC Carl Zeiss Jena on 1 August (18:00 CEST), and the official season presentation at home to Sevilla FC on 8 August. Further tests against Premier League sides Nottingham Forest (12 August) and Newcastle United (15 August) follow. The competitive season begins with the DFB-Pokal first round at SV Wehen Wiesbaden on 22 August (13:00 CEST), followed by the Bundesliga opener at promoted SV Elversberg on 28-30 August.
Six World Cup participants were absent from the squad, along with summer signing Kennet Eichhorn (Hertha BSC), who had a training deficit. Eliesse Ben Seghir was a late withdrawal from the starting XI.
For SF Baumberg, the match doubled as the official inauguration of the MEGA Stadion, with 1,800 spectators in attendance. All ticket proceeds were retained by the amateur club for general sports development.
Verdict
A straightforward, professional start for Carles Martínez's Leverkusen against a side five divisions below them. The headline is Moreira's immediate impact — two goals inside 27 minutes on his debut suggest the €29.5m investment will pay dividends. Tougher tests await, starting with Offenbach next weekend, but the Werkself's pre-season is off to a clean, emphatic start.
Match Events
Key match events between SF Baumberg and Bayer Leverkusen — 3 goals and 0 cards recorded during the match.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 19 Jul 2026