Patrik Schick scores for Leverkusen to send his coach Xabi Alonso a message before Bayern games

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Leverkusen’s head coach Xabi Alonso before the German Bundesliga soccer match between Holstein Kiel and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Kiel, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Gregor Fischer/dpa via AP)

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Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick and Kiel’s Marco Komenda, right, in action during the Bundesliga soccer match between Holstein Kiel and Bayer Leverkusen at Holstein-Stadion, Kiel, Germany, Saturday Feb. 22, 2025. (Gregor Fischer/dpa via AP)

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Leverkusen’s Amine Adli, right, celebrates scoring with teammate Florian Wirtz during the Bundesliga soccer match between Holstein Kiel and Bayer Leverkusen at Holstein-Stadion, Kiel, Germany, Saturday Feb. 22, 2025. (Gregor Fischer/dpa via AP)

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Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, left, and Kiel’s Magnus Knudsen, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Holstein Kiel and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Kiel, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Gregor Fischer/dpa via AP)

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Augsburg’s Alexis Claude-Maurice celebrates after scoring during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and FC Augsburg in Moenchengladbach, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)

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Wolfsburg’s Bence Dardai, left, and Bochum’s Tom Krauss in action during the Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and VfL Bochum at Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg, Germany, Saturday Feb. 22, 2025. (Swen Pförtner/dpa via AP)

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St. Pauli’s Noah Weißhaupt, left and Mainz’s Phillipp Mwene challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FSV Mainz 05 and FC St. Pauli in Mainz, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)

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oalscorer Jae-Sung Lee, 2nd from right of Mainz celebrates a goal with teammates, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FSV Mainz 05 and FC St. Pauli in Mainz, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)

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Augsburg’s Alexis Claude-Maurice, top, celebrates with teammates after scoring his second goal of the match during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and FC Augsburg in Moenchengladbach, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)

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Augsburg’s Alexis Claude-Maurice, second right, celebrates with teammates after scoring, with Moenchengladbach’s Joe Scally in front, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and FC Augsburg in Moenchengladbach, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)

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Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy, left, celebrates scoring with Giovanni Reyna during the Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and 1. FC Union Berlin at Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany, Saturday Feb. 22, 2025. (Fabian Strauch/dpa via AP)

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Dortmund’s Julian Ryerson, left, and Union Berlin’s Andras Schäfer in action during the Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and 1. FC Union Berlin at Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany, Saturday Feb. 22, 2025. (Fabian Strauch/dpa via AP)

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Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy, 2nd left, and Union Berlin’s Tom Rothe in action during the Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and 1. FC Union Berlin at Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany, Saturday Feb. 22, 2025. (Fabian Strauch/dpa via AP)

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Dortmund’s Ramy Bensebaini, left, and Union Berlin’s Andras Schäfer go for a header during the Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and 1. FC Union Berlin at Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany, Saturday Feb. 22, 2025. (Fabian Strauch/dpa via AP)

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Union Berlin’s Benedict Hollerbach, left, and Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi in action during the Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and 1. FC Union Berlin at Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany, Saturday Feb. 22, 2025. (Fabian Strauch/dpa via AP)

By CIARÁN FAHEY

BERLIN (AP) — Patrik Schick showed Bayer Leverkusen what it was missing against Bayern Munich last week by scoring in a 2-0 win at Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Schick, who was omitted by Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso in the top-of-the-table clash with Bayern, got Leverkusen off the mark in the ninth minute in Kiel after Amine Adli did well against two Kiel defenders to set him up. It was Schick’s 15th league goal of the season.

“It’s a good total, but I want more,” said Schick, who has scored more non-penalty goals than any other player in the league.

Alonso’s decision to only send Schick on late in stoppage time against Bayern raised eyebrows as his team had dominated without scoring for the previous 90 minutes and more with both Schick and fellow striker Victor Boniface watching from the substitutes’ bench.

That 0-0 draw kept Bayern eight points clear with 12 rounds left to play.

Florian Wirtz played Adli in to make it 2-0 before the break in Kiel, where Leverkusen’s win narrowed the gap to five points before Bayern hosts Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.

Leverkusen faces Bayern again over two games in the last 16 of the Champions League on March 5 and 11. They will be the fourth and fifth meetings between the teams this season.

Not PARSE.LY: Patrik Schick

Bayern's Harry Kane reacts injured during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)

Bundesliga title beckons for Bayern after holding defending champ Leverkusen scoreless

Leverkusen's Victor Boniface, front, and Cologne's Timo Huebers, rear, jump for a head during the German Cup, quarterfinal soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and FC Cologne at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Schick, Boniface deliver as Bayer Leverkusen survives scare against local foe Cologne in German Cup

Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong, left, celebrates with Leverkusen's Victor Boniface after he scored his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and TSG Hoffenheim at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Boniface is back as Leverkusen keeps the pressure on Bayern Munich with 3-1 win over Hoffenheim

Adli, with a goal and an assist, made his first start since three months out with a fracture to his left fibula.

“The injury was very painful to go through,” the Morocco forward said. “But every day I work, every day I wake up for this moment. And today I could not have imagined it better, starting again with the team and scoring.”

Guirassy gets Kovač off the mark

Serhou Guirassy scored four goals as Borussia Dortmund routed Union Berlin 6-0 to give new coach Niko Kovač his first Bundesliga win in charge after starting with two defeats.

Former Union player Julian Ryerson’s shot from distance was deflected in by Union defender Diogo Leite in the 25th.

Then the Guirassy show started. The Guinea star headed his first in the 40th, wrapped the win from a narrow angle in the 75th, grabbed his third five minutes after that, and took his league tally to 13 goals with the fourth in the 83rd.

Maximilian Beier completed the rout in the 89th as Dortmund climbed to 10th before the rest of the round.

Augsburg’s hat trick hero

Alexis Claude-Maurice scored a hat trick for Augsburg to beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-0 away.

The French midfielder scored all his goals after Gladbach goalkeeper Jonas Omlin was sent off for taking down Fredrik Jensen, who was put through on goal by a botched backpass from Nico Elvedi. It was a clear goal chance, and referee Florian Exner had no option but to show Omlin the red card in the 29th.

Also, Mainz defeated St. Pauli 2-0 at home, and Bochum drew at Wolfsburg 1-1 to climb out of a direct relegation place.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer