Playmaker Added an Assist to go with His Goal in Leverkusen's Victory
Malik Tillman delivered a career-defining performance as Bayer Leverkusen cruised to a 3-1 victory over Wolfsburg, establishing himself as a key figure in his new club's push up the Bundesliga standings. The 23-year-old American international recorded both a goal and an assist, becoming the fifth American in history to do so in a single Bundesliga match.
Tillman's impact was immediate and decisive. Just nine minutes into the match, he had a chance to score on Alejandro Grimaldo's low cross, but barely helped it into Jonas Hofmann's path, allowing the German midfielder to side-foot home the opening goal. The assist showcased Tillman's intelligent positioning and awareness in the attacking third.
The former Bayern Munich academy product sealed his impressive showing in the 33rd minute when Patrik Schick's smart flick near midfield found him in a promising position on the break. Tillman displayed composure beyond his years, calmly sending Wolfsburg goalkeeper Kamil Grabara the wrong way to make it 3-0 before halftime. The goal marked his third of the season for Leverkusen, bringing his tally to three goals and one assist in ten appearances since his summer transfer from PSV Eindhoven.
Between Tillman's contributions, Edmond Tapsoba had doubled Leverkusen's advantage in the 24th minute, heading home Aleix Garcia's pinpoint cross. Despite Denis Vavro pulling one back for the hosts in the 57th minute from Maximilian Arnold's corner, Wolfsburg couldn't mount a serious comeback.
Tillman completed 22-of-24 (92 percent) of his passes in 64 minutes on the pitch, demonstrating a well-rounded performance that extended beyond his direct goal involvements. The victory moved Leverkusen into third place and served as a timely reminder to USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino of Tillman's quality ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
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