Bayer Leverkusen, the reigning Bundesliga champions, kicked off their 2024/25 season with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach on August 23, 2024. The match, played at Borussia-Park, showcased Leverkusen’s resilience and attacking prowess, extending their remarkable unbeaten run in the Bundesliga to 35 games.Leverkusen started strongly, with Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka opening the scoring in the 12th minute with a stunning long-range strike. Florian Wirtz doubled the lead in the 38th minute, seemingly putting Leverkusen in control. However, Mönchengladbach fought back valiantly in the second half, with Nico Elvedi reducing the deficit in the 59th minute and Tim Kleindienst equalizing in the 85th minute.The match took an unexpected turn when smoke from flares in the Gladbach fan block caused a brief interruption. This delay set the stage for a thrilling finale, with Wirtz emerging as the hero for Leverkusen. In the 11th minute of stoppage time, Wirtz was awarded a penalty, which he initially failed to convert. However, he managed to score from the rebound, securing a dramatic 3-2 victory for Leverkusen.Leverkusen’s coach Xabi Alonso praised his team’s performance and mentality, stating, ‘It’s like starting from zero again. The past is behind us’. This victory not only marks a strong start to Leverkusen’s title defense but also continues their impressive form from the previous season, where they went undefeated in the Bundesliga.The match highlighted Leverkusen’s depth and resilience, with players like Victor Boniface and Edmond Tapsoba also making significant contributions. As the season progresses, many are already speculating whether Leverkusen can repeat their unbeaten run from the previous campaign.
Key points
- Bayer Leverkusen won their Bundesliga opener 3-2 against Borussia Mönchengladbach with a stoppage-time goal.
- Florian Wirtz scored the winning goal in the 11th minute of stoppage time after missing a penalty.
- Leverkusen extended their unbeaten Bundesliga run to 35 games, dating back to May 27, 2023.
- The match was briefly interrupted due to smoke from flares in the Gladbach fan block.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reported timing of Wirtz’s winning goal, with some sources stating the 90+11 minute and others the 101st minute.
This could be due to different interpretations of stoppage time.
