Bayer Leverkusen Secures Victory in Extra Time Assisted by VAR and Wirtz
The Bundesliga kickoff between Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Mönchengladbach brought goals, rain, fireworks, and several VAR interruptions. In the end, Leverkusen clinched a victory in the closing moments of added time.
They did it again: Leverkusen commenced their title defense campaign with a customary thrilling triumph. The stronger team, led by Xabi Alonso, emerged 3:2 victors (2:0) at Borussia Mönchengladbach and weathered the hosts' late resurgence.
Granit Xhaka (12.) and national team player Florian Wirtz (38.) found the back of the net for Leverkusen before halftime. They also hit the post and the crossbar once. After the break, Leverkusen's missed opportunities almost came back to bite them, as Nico Elvedi (59.) and Tim Kleindienst (85.) leveled the score. Wirtz (90.+11) sealed the deal from the penalty spot following a video review for Leverkusen, known for their late comebacks.
Leverkusen thus stayed undefeated in the 23rd Bundesliga opening game since the inception in 2002. They have won six consecutive games in Gladbach and sent a strong message to their rivals.
"It's all back to square one," Alonso had emphasized before the match. On the field, his team picked up right where they left off in the championship season: Without their new signings Martin Terrier, Aleix Garcia, and Jeanuel Belocian, the top pick looked like the home side, with 54,000 spectators witnessing one-sided football from the outset.
The opening goal was a testament to skill: Xhaka, formerly of Borussia, took a risky shot from 20 meters and scored into the top left corner. The Swiss celebrated humbly out of respect for his past employers, but the situation was clear.
The only downside for the dominant guests was their finishing: Victor Boniface hit the crossbar (18.), while Edmond Tapsoba struck the post (23.). Only after thirty minutes did Borussia manage to break free from the pressure. Leverkusen's goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, preferred once again over Matej Kovar, now found himself in the spotlight.
Most notably, Kleindienst, one of the two new players in Borussia's starting lineup, disrupted this phase. Leverkusen regained their composure briefly - and then scored the second goal when Wirtz calmly exploited a mess in the Borussia defense. The apparent 1:2 by Kleindienst (42.) was overturned by referee Robert Schröder after a video review due to a foul.
After the break, Leverkusen continued to impress with their creativity and swift passing, as they had done in their Supercup victory against VfB Stuttgart. Jeremie Frimpong missed a chance for a 3:0 (57.), followed almost immediately by Borussia's rebound. Elvedi scored in the subsequent action, this time the goal surviving subsequent review for a possible offside call. Borussia saw a glimmer of hope - and were duly rewarded. But Wirtz was still there after his missed penalty and clinched the victory.
Despite the hosts' late resurgence, Leverkusen's love for thrilling victories continued in soccer, as Wirtz converted from the penalty spot in stoppage time. The team's impressive performance in soccer against Borussia Mönchengladbach was reminiscent of their strong form during the championship season.
