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Tottenham's Harry Kane (right) transfers Frankfurt's Djibril Sow
Photo:
Andy Rain/EPA
FC Porto thoroughly spoiled Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso's Champions League debut, and Eintracht Frankfurt also had nothing to gain at Tottenham Hotspur.
For both German Champions League representatives, the day of the game was to forget.
Both teams are now in fourth place in their preliminary round groups - and more than ever have to worry about reaching the knockout stages.
After the 4-0 win in the Bundesliga against Schalke 04, there was something like a spirit of optimism at Bayer Leverkusen, but the new coach Xabi Alonso had already dampened expectations and referred to Wednesday as the first endurance test.
He and his team got that too.
Bayer clearly lost 0:3 (0:1) against FC Porto and is now bottom of the group.
Alonso, who had to do without the suspended Jeremie Frimpong, had to cope with his team's first blow to the neck early on.
After a long drive from goalkeeper Diogo Costa, the Brazilian Galeno caught the ball, sent off two Bayer defenders and skilfully pushed past Bayer keeper Lukas Hradecky for an early lead (7th minute).
And there was a lot going on against Bayer.
In the 16th minute, after a foul on Mitchell Bakker and after examining the video evidence, the referee awarded Bayer a penalty.
Kerem Demirbay started and failed at the Costa.
Ten minutes later, the jubilation was stifled after Amine Adli supposedly levelled, because Patrik Schick's ball had been deflected by hand.
The goal was denied again, it remained 0:1 at the break.
Bayer continued to press after the change, Adli's shot was blocked at the last moment.
Just five minutes later, the hopes of the hosts were further clouded.
Another penalty, again based on video evidence, but this time for the Portuguese.
And Mehdi Taremi did better than Demirbay in the 53rd minute.
He turned ice cold to 2:0.
The preliminary decision was made in the 64th minute.
Once again the referee awarded Porto a penalty after a foul in the penalty area and Taremi again took the chance.
For Eintracht Frankfurt, progress in the Champions League is still possible, but after the 2: 3 (1: 3) at Tottenham Hotspur it has become a lot more remote.
Eintracht coach Oliver Glasner started without Mario Götze and seemed to get the proof early on that he had chosen the right line-up.
After a serious blunder by Tottenham's Eric Dier, the visitors combined in the 14th minute through the London penalty area, captain Sebastian Rode kept calm, pushed the ball across to Daichi Kamada, who shot in easily.
But it really woke Tottenham up.
Harry Kane passed the ball on to Heung-Min Son in the 20th minute, and the former HSV player scored to make it 1-1.
And that's not all: After a foul by Jakic on Harry Kane, Tottenham were awarded a penalty after 28 minutes.
The fouled himself started and converted coolly.
And the first half was even worse.
Son volleyed a cross and finished elegantly to make it 3:1 (36th).
Again Kevin Trapp had no chance in the Eintracht goal.
Eintracht's rebellion after the break was short-lived: First, Tuta saw yellow for two fouls within three minutes, then red. Outnumbered, Frankfurt initially lacked the guts to catch up from a two-goal deficit.
There was still hope in the 86th minute: Faride Alidou was right after a corner by substitute Mario Götze and headed in the goal.
But it stayed that way.
In added time, Kane shot a penalty kick over the goal.
Aha