The Japan Times - 'Explosion of happiness', says Alonso as Leverkusen win late again

The win took Leverkusen seven points clear of second-placed Bayern Munich, although the German champions have two games in hand.

"It was such an intense game," Alonso told reporters. "When you see that anything can happen, when you have a last-minute goal, you celebrate.

"It's an explosion of happiness. You share it with your players, your teammates, your staff."

Leverkusen, who remain unbeaten this season in all competitions with 24 wins and three draws in 27 games, fell behind twice but drew level before Hincapie tapped in a corner in the 91st minute.

It was the second weekend in a row that Leverkusen had triumphed in injury time with Argentinian World Cup winner Exequiel Palacios scoring in the dying moments for a 1-0 victory at Augsburg last Saturday.

Leverkusen are currently missing several first team players, with Edmond Tapsoba, Amine Adli and Odilon Kossounou away for the Africa Cup of Nations and Victor Boniface out injured.

On Saturday, Netherlands wing-back Jeremie Frimpong was taken off in the first-half with an apparent leg injury, but his replacement Nathan Tella scored Leverkusen's first goal.

Alonso, who won league titles in Spain and Germany as a player, refused to be drawn on what the victories mean in Leverkusen's bid for a first-ever Bundesliga title.

"I don't know what it means for the future, but for now it's good for the atmosphere (around the club) and to stay in a good position," he said.

"We will also learn from today's game, what we can do better and what we did well.

"We will see what it means for the future but for today it means three more points and we stay in a good position."

Bayern face Werder Bremen on Sunday and Union Berlin on Wednesday. The German champions will close to within a point of Leverkusen should they win both those home matches.

Leverkusen and Bayern, who drew 2-2 in Munich in September, meet in the return fixture on February 10.

T.Sato--JT