The referee decided not to take the penalty and Leverkusen lost to German opposition for the first time since May 2023, after 35 Bundesliga games unbeaten, including the entire 2023-24 title-winning season.
“It’s tough, it’s bitter,” Alonso told German broadcaster Sky. “I don’t think we deserved to lose today.”
Leipzig overcame a 2-0 deficit by taking advantage of relatively few chances, usually on the counterattack, to seal a comeback. All three of their goals came from 10 shots to Leverkusen’s 27.
Leverkusen scored twice in six first-half minutes. First, Jeremie Frimpong intercepted a loose pass, deflected off defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu and beat goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi. Then Alex Grimaldo finished off a team move that included new signing Martin Terrier, who took Gulacsi out of position.
Leipzig went into the break thanks to Kevin Kampl’s header in added time, and Openda turned the game around with two precise finishes. He levelled with a shot from a tight angle close to the touchline and made it 3-2 with a curling shot from outside the area. “Leipzig’s goal (by Kampl) before the break was something that changed (the game),” said Alonso. “We were prepared to play well and go ahead in the second half, but we didn’t have much control, the game was too open and we conceded two goals too easily.” Leipzig staged their comeback without coach Marco Rose, who was sent off early in the game after picking up two yellow cards for protesting in quick succession.
Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck was sent off as his side held to a 0-0 draw at Werder Bremen.
Schlotterbeck received his second yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Justin Njinmah in the 73rd minute as Champions League runners-up Dortmund lacked the precision of their 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt last week.
Shortly before, Schlotterbeck had a header saved, one of Dortmund’s best chances in a match in which they lacked clear scoring opportunities.
Stuttgart lost their first ever league win in dramatic fashion when Maxim Leitsch’s diving header salvaged a 3-3 draw for Mainz.
Leitsch scored in added time when Stuttgart were close to winning, having taken a 3-2 lead in the 88th minute when Fabian Rieder’s free-kick bounced off the post but in off the back of goalkeeper Robin Zentner. Stuttgart had been leading 2-0 before an earlier comeback by Mainz.
Stuttgart, who surprisingly finished second in the Bundesliga last season, have a tendency to surrender leads this season. Stuttgart led Freiburg in their league opener last week but lost 3-1, and the team conceded a late goal before losing to Leverkusen on penalties in the German Super Cup.
Newly promoted Holstein Kiel’s Marcel Rapp was sent off in their first ever home Bundesliga game, which ended in a 2-0 defeat to Wolfsburg. New signing Tim Kleindienst scored one goal and assisted another as Borussia Mönchengladbach won 2-0 in Bochum. Frankfurt beat Hoffenheim 3-1.
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