Granit Xhaka scored an excellent goal and Florian Wirtz netted a late winner as champions Bayer Leverkusen secured a 3-2 win away to Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga season opener on Friday, extending their unbeaten league run into the new campaign.
Leverkusen were awarded a penalty deep into stoppage time for Ko Itakura’s foul on substitute Amine Adli and Wirtz scored on a rebound to earn the visitors the three points.
Xhaka opened the scoring for Leverkusen in the 12th minute with a powerful strike from outside the box before Wirtz doubled their lead in the 38th on a rebound.
But defender Nico Elvedi pulled one back for Gladbach just before the hour mark from close range and Tim Kleindienst nutmegged Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba to level for the hosts five minutes from time.
Leverkusen became the first team ever to go unbeaten across an entire Bundesliga campaign last season and have now extended that streak to 35 games.
Granit Xhaka scored a superb goal for Bayer Leverkusen against Borussia Monchengladbach
The midfielder refused to celebrate his goal out of respect for his former club
Florian Wirtz scored a dramatic late winner for Leverkusen after his penalty was saved
In Bundesliga history, only two teams enjoyed longer undefeated runs across multiple campaigns: Bayern Munich with 53 games from 2012 to 2014 and Hamburg SV (36 games from 1982 to 1983).
Leverkusen, who beat VfB Stuttgart on penalties to win the German Supercup on Saturday, moved in front through Xhaka early on as the Switzerland midfielder grabbed a rebound and smashed the ball inside a top corner.
Jeremie Frimpong broke into the box with the ball later in the half and Alejandro Grimaldo’s close-range attempt was saved by Gladbach keeper Jonas Omlin before Wirtz landed a rebound to increase the advantage.
But Gladbach, who narrowly avoided relegation playoffs last season to finish 14th on 34 points, stood up to the title-holders and Kleindienst thought he pulled one back for the hosts just before halftime.
The forward bundled the ball in with a diving header but his goal was disallowed for a foul following a VAR review.
Nico Elvedi got a goal back for Monchengladbach as he scored in the 59th minute
Tim Kleindienst equalised in the 85th minute but Monchengladbach couldn’t hold on
Gladbach eventually made it past Leverkusen defence through Elvedi in the 59th minute after goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky denied his header, and Kleindienst earned his share late in the game – a goal that stood following a VAR review for possible offside.
The game was interrupted early in the second half when the field was filled with smoke after fans started using pyrotechnics, halting the play for just under 10 minutes.
Leverkusen next host RB Leipzig on Aug. 31 while Gladbach travel to VfL Bochum.
Stuttgart, who finished second last season, visit Freiburg on Saturday while Bayern Munich kick off their campaign at VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday.