German champions Bayer Leverkusen start season with last-gasp win

Leverkusen were cruising at half-time, after a Granit Xhaka stunner and a Wirtz goal gave Xabi Alonso's side a two-goal lead. With rain teeming down at Gladbach's Borussia Park, Nico Elvedi brought the hosts closer with a 59th-minute strike before newcomer Tim Kleindienst levelled the scores with five minutes remaining.

In the 10th minute of stoppage time, Ko Itakura clipped Amine Adli's boot in the box, bringing Wirtz to the spot.

Wirtz's effort was saved but the Germany midfielder hammered the ball in on the rebound as his side - who built a reputation for saving matches with last-gasp goals during their incredible run last season - won the game late again.

Fresh off an unbeaten league and cup double last campaign, Leverkusen picked up another piece of silverware last Saturday by beating Stuttgart on penalties to lift the German Supercup.

Gladbach, a fallen German giant who narrowly avoided relegation last season, were dealt a blow shortly before kick-off, with star midfielder Manu Kone left out of the squad due to an impending move away from the club.

 

August 23, 2024

Leverkusen midfielder Xhaka blew the lid off the game early, rocketing in a brilliant long-range effort after 13 minutes, giving Gladbach goalie Jonas Omlin no chance. The effort was a mirror image of the Switzerland captain's goal in Leverkusen's 1-0 German Cup final win over Kaiserslautern in May.

Xhaka, who spent four years at Gladbach before his move to Arsenal, held his hands in the air, refusing to celebrate the stunner against his former club. A bleach-blonde Wirtz doubled Leverkusen's lead after 38 minutes, blasting in on the turn in a crowded penalty area.

Kleindienst looked to have pulled one back for the hosts just before half-time but the former Heidenheim forward's effort was struck off on VAR review. Gladbach's Elvedi, who lost possession just before Xhaka's opener, redeemed himself for the hosts, heading in a rebound to cut Leverkusen's lead 14 minutes into the second-half.

Kleindienst then levelled things up late, pushing past some sloppy defending from Edmond Tapsoba to blast the ball into the net. In the final minute of stoppage time, Adli went down in the box and a VAR review brought Wirtz to the spot.

Omlin kept the low shot out but Wirtz was first to the rebound, knocking it home to ensure his side started their title defence with three points. Friday's league opener, which features the defending champions, was the first without Bayern Munich since 2013.

 

August 23, 2024