3-2 in Mönchengladbach – last-minute winner for the Werkself

Compared with the side in the win on penalties against VfB Stuttgart in the Supercup, head coach Xabi Alonso made five changes to his starting line-up. Jonathan Tah, Jeremie Frimpong, Alejandro Grimaldo, Florian Wirtz and Jonas Hofmann came into the side. In front of a full house at Borussia Park, the champions of Germany started with a high press and lots of possession – and they were rewarded with a fantastic finish on twelve minutes.

Xhaka wonder goal paves the way - first the woodwork twice, then clinical Wirtz

A cross from Frimpong was deflected by a Mönchengladbach player out of the penalty area where Granit Xhaka was ready to fire the ball into the top left corner from 20 metres out – the lead and the first league goal for the Werkself. Shortly after that, Victor Boniface went close with a shot that hit the bar (18'). Two minutes later, the Gladbach keeper Jonas Omlin saved a Tah header on the line and then Lukas Hradecky​ was forced to make a save from a powerful shot from Tim Kleindienst (21').

And the big chances kept coming: Edmond Tapsoba hit a long-range effort against the top corner of the goal post – the second time Bayer 04 hit the woodwork on the night. A period of pressure followed from the hosts and they created a number of chances but the next goal came at the other end: Wirtz provided a clinical finish from close range to make it 2-0 (38'). New signing Tim Kleindienst appeared to have scored for the Foals but referee Robert Schröder ruled it out after the intervention of VAR for a foul on Piero Hincapie. The Werkself took a 2-0 lead into half-time.

gladbach level - Wirtz scores in added time

There were no changes at the break with little action in either penalty area several minutes in to the second 45 but then Borussia’s Niko Elvedi scored from close range on the hour mark to make it 2-1. Shortly after that, Xabi Alonso brought on fresh legs up front in the shape of Bundesliga debutant Martin Terrier. Aleix Garcia and Amine Adli also came off the bench in the final stages with Garcia on the pitch for his first Bundesliga match. For a long time it looked like a 2-1 away win for the Werkself but Kleindienst equalised for Gladbach at 2-2 on 85 minutes. But it wasn't all over.

Ten minutes of added time at Borussia Park began with an effort from Grimaldo with a shot to the top corner (90+1') – and ended with the winner for Bayer 04. Eleven minutes into added time referee Schröder awarded a penalty after consulting the video screen. Wirtz stepped up and the Gladbach keeper Omlin saved his spot kick but he was able to put the rebound into the back of the net to give the Black and Reds the first three points in the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign.

outlook: first dfb Pokal, then top match

The Werkself are next in action in the DFB Pokal: The German double winners are away to Regional League FC Carl Zeiss Jena in the first round. The tie at the Ernst Abbe Sportfeld on Wednesday, 28 August kicks off at 18.30 CEST. Three days later there is a top match at the BayArena on the Saturday night. The opponents are RB Leipzig with the kick-off at 18.30 CEST.

Match stats:

Borussia Mönchengladbach: Omlin - Scally, Itakura, Elvedi, Netz (Chiarodia 90+4’) - Weigl, Reitz (Sander 71’) - Honorat (Lainer 90+4’), Stöger, Plea (Cvancara 71’) - Kleindienst (N'Goumou 90+4’)

Bayer 04: Hradecky - Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie - Frimpong, Xhaka, Andrich (Garcia 81’) - Grimaldo - Hofmann (Terrier 65’), Wirtz - Boniface (Adli 81’)

Goals: 0-1 Xhaka (12’), 0-2 Wirtz (38’), 1-2 Elvedi (60’), 2-2 Kleindienst (85’), 2-3 Wirtz (90+11’)

Booked: Lainer

Referee: Robert Schröder (Hannover)

Attendance: 54,042 (sold out) at Borussia Park