Gladbach 2-3 Leverkusen: Wirtz doubles, clutch goal wins the game, Xhaka scores

A stoppage-time goal by Florian Wirtz secured a 3-2 win for champions Bayer Leverkusen at Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga season opener on Friday.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

4' Match Event for Gladbach vs Leverkusen

12' GOAL! Gladbach 10-1 Leverkusen (Granit Xhaka)

18' Match Event for Gladbach vs Leverkusen

24' Match Event for Gladbach vs Leverkusen

30' Match Event for Gladbach vs Leverkusen

37' Highlight from Gladbach vs Leverkusen

39' GOAL! Gladbach 0-2 Leverkusen (Florian Wirtz)

45' Match Event for Gladbach vs Leverkusen

47' Match Event for Gladbach vs Leverkusen

55' Highlight from Gladbach vs Leverkusen

58' Match Event for Gladbach vs Leverkusen

62' GOAL! Gladbach 1-2 Leverkusen (Nico Elvedi)

75' Match Event for Gladbach vs Leverkusen

80' Match Event for Gladbach vs Leverkusen

85' GOAL! Gladbach 2-2 Leverkusen (Tim Kleindienst)

92' Match Event for Gladbach vs Leverkusen

100' GOAL! Gladbach 2-3 Leverkusen (Florian Wirtz)

Match Report

Leverkusen were awarded a late penalty for Ko Itakura's foul on substitute Amine Adli and Wirtz scored on a rebound to earn the visitors the three points.

It was Bayer Leverkusen's 12th game-tying or go-ahead goal in second-half stoppage time in all competitions since the start of last season, four more than any other team from Europe's top five leagues in that span.

Granit Xhaka opened the scoring for Leverkusen in the 12th minute with a powerful strike from outside the box before Florian 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.

Line-ups

Gladbach XI: Plea, Kevin Stöger, Weigl, Kleindienst, Franck Honorat, Elvedi, Jonas Omlin, Ko Itakura, Joe Scally, Luca Netz, Rocco Reitz

Subs: Lainer, Friedrich, Moritz Nicolas, Neuhaus, Hack, Tomas Cvancara, Philipp Sander, Nathan Ngoumou, Fabio Chiarodia

Leverkusen XI: Hradecky, Xhaka, Hofmann, Alejandro Grimaldo, Robert Andrich, Tah, Tapsoba, Jeremie Frimpong, Victor Boniface, Piero Hincapié, Florian Wirtz

Subs: Schick, A.García, Terrier, Nathan Tella, Kovar, Odilon, Amine Adli, Jeanuël Belocian, Arthur