European football: Leverkusen give up two-goal lead to draw with Holsten Kiel

Bayer Leverkusen scored twice in the opening eight minutes but the champions squandered their lead to settle for a 2-2 draw against visitors Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga.

Victor Boniface slotted in after four minutes to put the hosts in front with his fourth league goal of the campaign. Before promoted Kiel had any time to recover, Leverkusen struck again, this time with Jonas Hofmann’s low drive, to carve out a two-goal cushion following a mistake by Kiel goalkeeper Timon Weiner.

Kiel, however, struck on the stroke of halftime with Max Geschwill’s header at the far post and drew level thanks to Fiete Arp’s 69th minute penalty.

Leverkusen are fifth in the standings on 11 points.

Borussia Dortmund slumped to a 2-1 loss at Union Berlin, only days after their 7-1 demolition of Celtic for their biggest European win.

Union’s Kevin Vogt ended a 10-year Bundesliga goal drought after converting a 26th-minute penalty. Vogt’s previous goal was scored on 18 October 2014, making it a record 275 Bundesliga matches between goals for an outfield player.

Dortmund showed none of the aggression they showed in the win over the Scots in the Champions League on Tuesday and before halftime they conceded another with Yorbe Vertessen’s low strike from the edge of the box.

Julian Ryerson pulled a goal back for the visitors just past the hour but they could not find an equaliser despite late pressure. Dortmund dropped to seventh place in the standings on 10 points.

In La Liga Real Madrid host Valencia, while in Serie A Inter welcome Torino as Genoa travel to Atalanta on Saturday evening.