Bayer Leverkusen clinched a thrilling victory against Borussia Monchengladbach, securing all three points after a late penalty decision awarded by VAR in stoppage time led to a decisive goal from Florian Wirtz. The match, played on Friday, concluded with a 3-2 scoreline after Leverkusen had initially raced to a two-goal lead.
The defending Bundesliga champions demonstrated their resilience once more, needing a goal deep into injury time to overcome their rivals in the opening game of the Bundesliga season. Under the guidance of coach Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen continued their trend of dramatic finishes, reminiscent of their late-game heroics from last season.
Wirtz’s initial penalty attempt was saved, but he quickly reacted to score from the rebound, marking Leverkusen’s twelfth late goal in second-half stoppage time across all competitions since the beginning of the previous season. This tally outpaces any other team in Europe’s top five leagues during that period.
Midfielder Granit Xhaka reflected on the team’s mentality, emphasizing their never-give-up attitude. “This is our new DNA… we believe until the end,” Xhaka stated. He expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, acknowledging the importance of securing the win.
Alonso attributed the tendency to score late to the team’s mindset, stating, “It’s difficult to explain why we always score late goals. It’s the mentality of the team.”
The match began with Xhaka putting Leverkusen ahead with a powerful strike from 25 yards in the 12th minute, followed by Wirtz extending the lead to 2-0 in the 38th minute. However, Gladbach rallied back with Nico Elvedi scoring in the 59th minute and new signing Tim Kleindienst equalizing in the 85th.
As the match neared its climax, Leverkusen was awarded a late penalty after a foul in the box. Wirtz’s first attempt was saved, but he made no mistake with the follow-up, ensuring a positive start to the season for Leverkusen as they extended their unbeaten run in the league to 35 games.
Despite the victory, Alonso noted areas for improvement, stating the team needed to be more compact and aggressive in certain phases of the game. The match was briefly interrupted in the second half due to smoke from flares lit by fans in the stands, adding to the intense atmosphere.