Bayer Leverkusen put on a merciless exhibition at the BayArena on Saturday, tearing apart a shell-shocked Heidenheim side 6-0, with Ernest Poku grabbing a well-deserved spot on the scoresheet.
Thrown into the starting lineup on the left wing, the Dutch-Ghanaian youngster made the most of his opportunity. In the 27th minute, he ghosted into the box to meet Arthur’s low delivery and swept the ball home, capping off a whirlwind opening half in which Leverkusen looked untouchable.
Ernest Poku delivers off the bench as Bayer Leverkusen edge St. Pauli
The tone was set almost immediately. Patrik Schick struck twice in the first 22 minutes, finishing with the swagger of a striker rediscovering his edge. Jonas Hofmann then rose above a scrambling defence to nod in the third, leaving Heidenheim reeling long before Poku added his cool finish.
Leverkusen weren’t done. Teen midfielder Ibrahim Maza showcased his growing confidence, bending in a crisp effort for the fifth just before the break and returning after halftime to claim his brace, stamping an exclamation point on Leverkusen’s most dominant outing of the campaign.
💪 Ein wundervoll heiteres Heimspiel! Höher haben wir zu Hause in der #Bundesliga noch nie gewonnen!#B04FC 6:0 #Werkself pic.twitter.com/galUhNzw8j
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04fussball) November 8, 2025
Poku was substituted a minute into the second half, greeted with appreciative applause for his lively, confident display. By then, the job was long done. Leverkusen controlled the match with 74 percent possession and allowed Heidenheim a single shot on target, a statistic that summed up the gulf in class.
Leverkusen will carry this commanding response into their next assignment against Wolfsburg on November 22.
