Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 7y

Chicharito Hernandez not to blame for Bayer Leverkusen draw - Schmidt

Bayer Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt did not place the blame entirely on forward Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez after the Mexico international missed the chance on Saturday to give his club the late lead when he stepped up to take the penalty in the 88th minute with a low shot aimed at Freiburg keeper Alexander Schwolow.

Schwolow's save meant that Schmidt's side finished the Bundesliga match at home with a disappointing 1-1 draw.

Hernandez, 28, meanwhile had the dubious honour of extending his Bundesliga goal drought to 456 minutes following his second and Leverkusen's fourth missed penalty of the season.

"Chicharito made a wrong decision," Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt said following the draw, which saw Leverkusen drop eight points behind TSG Hoffenheim in the race for the final Champions League qualification spot. "But it was also a great save by the keeper."

German tabloid Bild called Hernandez's second miss of the season the "worst penalty in Bundesliga," and it marked the longest goal drought of the Mexico international's career. His previous record of 410 minutes was set in his final full season with Manchester United in 2013-14.

He has now gone 13 games for club and country without a goal.

The miss was also Leverkusen's fourth in four attempts from the spot.

On Sunday, Leverkusen were dealt another injury blow when a MRI scan revealed that Slovenian midfielder Kevin Kampl broke a toe in Saturday match, Bild reported. The 26-year-old will not return to the pitch in 2016, and could be ruled out until late January, the paper added.

"I will definitely not play again in 2016," Kampl said in kicker, not confirming the injury. "That's extremely bitter."

Already last week, Leverkusen lost Germany international Kevin Volland, who suffered "a complex torn thigh muscle in training."

The attacker faces two months on the sidelines.

 

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