Champions Bayer Leverkusen scored a late goal to win 3-2 away to Borussia Mönchengladbach to start the new Bundesliga season with a win , BTA reported.
During the last campaign "the aspinirs" impressed, scoring a couple of late and crucial goals en route to their first league title and an unbeaten season in the Championship. And it looks like that last-minute luck is back for the 2024-2025 season.
The champions squandered a 2-0 lead after the home side leveled at 2-2, but Bayer were awarded a penalty in the 10th minute of added time. Florian Wirtz's initial shot from the penalty spot was saved by Jonas Omlin, but he was smarter and made it 3-2 in stoppage time.
Wirtz also scored Leverkusen's second goal in the 38th minute, extending the visitors' lead after Granit Xhaka's strike in the 12th. Tim Kleindienst's goal for Borussia Mönchengladbach was disallowed after a video refereeing system (VAR) review shortly before the break, then Nico Elvedi in the 59th and Kleindienst in the 85th made it 2-2. But a foul by Ko Itakura on Amin Adli in the box led to a penalty that gave the champions victory.
The match was briefly interrupted after fans threw smoke onto the pitch. Later today, last season's runners-up Stuttgart visit Freiburg, RB Leipzig face Bochum and Borussia Dortmund face Eintracht Frankfurt. Record Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich start the season with a match against Wolfsburg on Sunday.