Bayer Leverkusen 4 - 0 Rosenborg

Bayer Leverkusen 4 - 0 Rosenborg

Patrick Helmes scored a hat-trick to lead Bayer Leverkusen to a comfortable victory at home over Rosenborg in their Europa League Group B opener. ...

Updated: September 16, 2010, 3:10 AM ET

Helmes notched his first Europa League goal in the fourth minute and watched team-mate Stefan Reinartz make it 2-0 in the 38th minute.

Germany striker Helmes struck a second time in the 58th minute and finished off his hat-trick three minutes.

Leverkusen were playing without injured midfielders Michael Ballack and Renato Augusto but that did not stop the Germans from grabbing an early lead.

Sami Hyypia's long diagonal ball from deep in Leverkusen territory found a sprinting Sidney Sam on the right side. Rosenborg defender Mikael Dorsin misjudged the ball, which Sam chested down and crossed into the path of Helmes, who slotted into the empty goal after four minutes.

Leverkusen were close to doubling the advantage five minutes later but Gonzalo Castro shot just over the crossbar from 10 yards.

The Norwegians were not without chances but Leverkusen keeper Rene Adler made a fine save from Per Skjelbred's shot in the 11th minute and just got a hand on Steffen Iversen's attempt five minutes later.

Rosenborg keeper Daniel Orlund stopped a Nicolai Jorgensen blast from the left side in the 19th minute and Jorgensen's rebound shot found only the side netting.

Leverkusen finally doubled the advantage seven minutes before the break with Sam's shot getting blocked to Reinartz, whose left-foot shot hit off the far right post and in.

The hosts remained the dominant side though Eren Derdiyok struck just wide in the 42nd and watched Orlund fend away his header five minutes after the restart.

Derdiyok set up Leverkusen's third goal in the 58th minute, sending a through ball to Helmes who beat Orlund from a tight angle.

And Helmes completed the hat-trick three minutes later, heading home Daniel Schwab's long cross from the right side off the right post and in for a four-goal cushion.

Rosenborg were close to pulling a goal back in the 71st minute but a ball deflected by Hyypia hit off the left post.

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