Leverkusen complete 4-3 comeback win in stoppage time and Stuttgart rout Dortmund
It was the second time in four Bundesliga games this season that Leverkusen has won in added time. That followed an almost unbelievable series of dramatic finishes in its title-winning season.
Bayer Leverkusen players celebrate after scoring a goal (AP)
GERMANY: Victor Boniface's added-time goal lifted Bayer Leverkusen to a 4-3 comeback win over Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga as the German champion produced another of its trademark late breakthroughs ahead of facing Bayern Munich next week.
It seemed Xabi Alonso's team might have missed its chance when Granit Xhaka rattled the goalpost with a stoppage-time curling shot, but soon after Boniface made the breakthrough.
All of Wolfsburg's players — down by one thanks to a red card for Yannick Gerhardt — were packed into the penalty area but Boniface, fresh from showing off an eye-catching skill in Leverkusen's 4-0 win over Feyenoord, suddenly found space in a crowd of three opponents to turn and shoot past goalkeeper Kamil Grabara.
It was the second time in four Bundesliga games this season that Leverkusen has won in added time. That followed an almost unbelievable series of dramatic finishes in its title-winning season.
Leverkusen had to twice come back from a goal down against Wolfsburg to give itself a chance at the win.
New signing Nordi Mukiele's fifth-minute own goal put Wolfsburg ahead but Leverkusen answered with goals from Florian Wirtz — his fourth in eight days — and Jonathan Tah.
Wolfsburg was the leader again by halftime after Sebastiaan Bornauw and Mattias Svanberg scored, but defender Piero Hincapie leveled the score again for Leverkusen with a header early in the second half.
Leverkusen's games have been nothing if not entertaining this season, with a combined 22 goals in four Bundesliga games — 13 for, nine against — and including a rare 3-2 loss to Leipzig last month. That leaves Leverkusen three points behind Bayern, whose new coach Vincent Kompany has overseen four wins from four league games, scoring 16 goals and conceding only three. That means Bayern will likely stay top on goal difference even if it loses to Leverkusen on Sept. 28.
Dortmund's big defeatJust when it seemed new coach Nuri Sahin had given Borussia Dortmund a consistency it was sorely lacking last season, his team crashed to a 5-1 loss at Stuttgart.
Deniz Undav set Stuttgart on course for victory with a fourth-minute opening goal and capped the win with another in the 90th as his team sought to prove its second-place finish in the Bundesliga last season was no fluke.
The result ends a five-game unbeaten run in all competitions for Dortmund under Sahin, who replaced Edin Terzic after last season, and gives Stuttgart a boost after losing 3-1 to Real Madrid on Tuesday.
St. Pauli holds LeipzigSt. Pauli earned its first point since promotion — and since coach Fabian Hürzeler left for Brighton — with a 0-0 draw at home to Leipzig.
St. Pauli had the better chances and could have won the game in added time when a shot from substitute Scott Banks went narrowly wide of the post.