Youth League: Leverkusen Beats Porto to Reach Semifinals

Bayer Leverkusen's U19 side has advanced to the semifinals of the UEFA Youth League after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Porto on Wednesday.

Leverkusen took the lead in the first half through Iker Bravo, but Porto equalized in the second half through Vasco Sousa. However, Leverkusen regained the lead late on through a stunning strike from Zidan Sertdemir, sending the German side into the last four.

Leverkusen started the match brightly and took the lead in the 15th minute when Bravo finished off a fine move involving Sertdemir and Timothy Fosu-Mensah. Porto grew into the game and began to create chances of their own, but Leverkusen held on to their lead until halftime.

Porto came out strong in the second half and equalized in the 55th minute when Sousa headed home from a corner. Leverkusen responded well to going behind and regained the lead in the 75th minute when Sertdemir curled a superb effort into the top corner.

Leverkusen held on to their lead in the closing stages and saw out the win to reach the semifinals of the Youth League for the first time since 2016. They will now face either Barcelona or Manchester City in the last four.

Key Stats

• Leverkusen had 54% possession and 11 shots on goal to Porto's 46% and 8.
• Bravo's goal was his seventh in the Youth League this season, making him the competition's top scorer.
• Sertdemir's goal was his fifth in the Youth League this season, making him Leverkusen's second-highest scorer in the competition.

What's Next?

Leverkusen will now face either Barcelona or Manchester City in the semifinals of the Youth League on April 27. The match will be played at the Colovray Stadium in Nyon, Switzerland.