Bayer Leverkusen and Roma are playing out a thrilling 2-2 draw in their Champions League Group E clash at the BayArena, with Javier Hernandez and Daniele de Rossi both grabbing braces.
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The hosts were given a sterling opportunity to take the lead after just three minutes when Vassilios Torosidis handled the ball inside the Giallorossi box, prompting the referee to award a penalty.
Hernandez stepped up and confidently powered his spot kick into the bottom left corner to put his side ahead, much to the delight of the home crowd.
It would get even better for Leverkusen because, in the 20th minute, Chicharito was on hand again to get the ball in the back of the Roma net, stabbing home from a rebound to double his side's lead.
Rudi Garcia's charges, bottom of the group and in dire need of securing a result to stay in the competition, succeeded in halving the deficit on the half-hour mark through De Rossi, who scored with a shot from inside the box after latching on to a headed pass from Konstantinos Manolas.
The inspired Hernandez, however, nearly restored his side's two-goal advantage moments later when he connected with a cross and thumped a header goalwards, but his effort flew just over the bar.
Nevertheless, parity was restored in the 38th minute courtesy of the evergreen De Rossi, as Miralem Pjanic's precise ball was lashed past the goalkeeper and inside the right post by the Roma talisman.
Giuseppe Labellarte
