Bayer Leverkusen secured a thrilling 3-2 victory against Borussia Monchengladbach, thanks to a stoppage-time penalty decision awarded by VAR, which saw Florian Wirtz score the decisive goal.
In the opening match of the Bundesliga season, defending champions Leverkusen initially took a commanding lead, only to see it slip as they allowed Gladbach to equalize. Wirtz’s late heroics came after he had his initial penalty saved but managed to convert the rebound, highlighting Leverkusen’s knack for dramatic finishes.
This latest goal marked the 12th time Leverkusen has either equalized or taken the lead during stoppage time in all competitions since the beginning of last season, surpassing any other team in Europe’s top leagues.
Granit Xhaka, who opened the scoring with a powerful long-range effort, reflected on the team’s resilient mentality, asserting that their belief until the final whistle is becoming part of their identity.
Head coach Xabi Alonso acknowledged his team’s late scoring trend as a testament to their strong mentality, indicating that it is not a skill that can be trained but rather a characteristic of the team culture.
Leverkusen started strong with an early goal from Xhaka and a second from Wirtz, but after hitting the post and facing a disallowed goal against Gladbach, they found themselves tied when the hosts clawed back with two goals.
Just as it seemed the match would end in a draw, Leverkusen earned a penalty deep into stoppage time. Despite the initial miss, Wirtz capitalized on the chance, clinching all three points and extending their unbeaten league run to 35 matches.
Alonso acknowledged the match’s intensity but noted that there were areas for improvement, particularly regarding the team’s defensive compactness and aggression during the game.
The match was momentarily paused in the second half due to smoke from flares lit by fans, adding to the drama of an already high-stakes encounter.