Lewandowski Scores 7th Goal to Give Barcelona 7th Straight Win in Spanish league

25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
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Lewandowski Scores 7th Goal to Give Barcelona 7th Straight Win in Spanish league

25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

With Robert Lewandowski on target again, Barcelona extended its perfect start to the Spanish league season.
Lewandowski scored his seventh goal in as many matches and Barcelona won its seventh in a row in the league by defeating Getafe 1-0 at home on Wednesday.
The triumph gives Barcelona its second-best league start ever, equaling the seven victories it also earned at the start of the 2017-18 season. The Catalan club won eight straight to start the 2013-14 season, The Associated Press reported.
“I'm really proud about my team. They fight 90 minutes or 95 minutes," Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said. “But also I'm very proud because the fans they realized that we needed them and they give everything. It's a good connection at the moment and I'm really happy about that.”
Barcelona has outscored its opponents 23-5 in its first seven games this season. It has a four-point lead over defending champion Real Madrid, which on Tuesday beat Alaves 3-2.
Lewandowski got his league-leading seventh goal from close range in the 19th minute. He picked up a loose ball inside the area after Getafe goalkeeper David Soria couldn't hold on to a high cross into the area.
The Poland striker, who had scored twice in a 5-1 rout of Villarreal on Sunday, was replaced by Pedri in the 77th.
Lewandowski's goal was Barcelona's 6,500 in 3,035 league matches, according to the club.
Iñaki Peña started in goal in place of Marc-André ter Stegen, who sustained a serious knee injury in the team's previous league match.
Barcelona players entered the field with a T-shirt with words of support for Ter Stegen, who is one of the team's captains.
Getafe, which nearly equalized with Borja Mayoral from close range in stoppage time, remains winless and in second-to-last place.
“That was a big scare, but the ball didn't goal in and we left with the three points,” Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde said.
Also Wednesday, Girona and Rayo Vallecano drew 0-0 in Girona.
Barcelona plays at Osasuna on Saturday. It then visits Alaves the following weekend.



Wirtz Returns to Help Leverkusen Beat In-Form Frankfurt 2-1 in Bundesliga

 Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt at BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday Oct. 19, 2024. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)
Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt at BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday Oct. 19, 2024. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)
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Wirtz Returns to Help Leverkusen Beat In-Form Frankfurt 2-1 in Bundesliga

 Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt at BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday Oct. 19, 2024. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)
Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt at BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday Oct. 19, 2024. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)

Florian Wirtz returned from injury to help Bayer Leverkusen defeat in-form Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 in the Bundesliga on Saturday, when the latter was aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty in stoppage time.

Hugo Ekitiké looked set to score by heading the ball into an unguarded net after a mix up between goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky and Jonathan Tah, but Tah rushed back to put the airborne Ekitiké off balance and miss the ball.

Frankfurt’s protests went unheeded and Victor Boniface’s 72nd-minute goal proved to be the winner for the defending champion.

Boniface had an early chance from the penalty spot but Kevin Trapp saved his poorly struck spot kick in the ninth minute.

Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush showed how it’s done seven minutes later, firing a penalty inside the left post after a clumsy challenge from Robert Andrich. It was Marmoush’s ninth goal in seven Bundesliga games, and it stretched his six-game scoring run.

But Andrich atoned by equalizing in the 25th after playing a one-two with Amine Adli and then Martin Terrier before a cool finish inside the far post.

Boniface finally scored when Trapp deflected substitute Wirtz’s cross kindly for a simple header.

Leverkusen said on Tuesday that Wirtz injured his ankle while on international duty with Germany.

Also, Xavi Simons starred for Leipzig to beat Mainz 2-0 away, Freiburg routed Augsburg 3-1 at home, Borussia Mönchengladbach defeated Heidenheim 3-2, and Hoffenheim defeated winless Bochum 3-1.