Bayer Leverkusen 3 - 0 Hannover 96: Javier Hernandez double helps heap more misery on Hannover

Posted Sunday, January 31, 2016 by PA

Bayer Leverkusen left Hannover languishing at the bottom of the Bundesliga after a 3-0 win over Thomas Schaaf's men.

Stefan Kiessling headed the hosts in front just after half-time, having previously hit the post, and two goals from Javier Hernandez completed the victory for Roger Schmidt's side.

A second defeat in as many games leaves Schaaf with a sizeable task on his hands in saving the Lower Saxony club from relegation.

Hugo Almeida, who marked his debut with the opening goal in Hannover's 2-1 home defeat to Darmstadt last weekend, had the first chance of the game with an angled shot which just missed the top corner.

Kiessling hit the post from one Hakan Calhanoglu cross before doing better with his next attempt, rising at the near post to turn the Turkish midfielder's corner in.

Calhanoglu struck the crossbar, with the ball also hitting the post as Leverkusen looked to turn the screw in the second half.

A foul by Hiroki Sakai on Kiessling on the hour mark enabled them to do just that, with Hernandez stepping up to convert the resultant penalty.

Hannover rarely looked to threaten Leverkusen's lead, but a third goal ended any lingering concern with Hernandez netting his 13th goal of the season.

The Mexican held off his marker before slotting a low shot into the bottom corner of Ron-Robert Zieler's goal to lift Leverkusen up to fourth, into the Champions League play-off berth.