Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen suffered their first Bundesliga defeat since May 2023 as a 3-2 loss at home to RB Leipzig on Saturday snapped their 35-matches unbeaten run in the top flight.
In a volatile match which saw visiting coach Marco Rose sent to the stands in the first half, Leverkusen jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Jeremie Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo.
But Kevin Kampl scored for Leipzig against the run of play just before half-time, and Lois Openda levelled things up early in the second period.
Openda scored again with 10 minutes remaining to secure victory for Leipzig against last season’s unbeaten league and cup winners.
Leverkusen captain Jonathan Tah acknowledged that while they had opportunities to secure the win, they conceded goals too easily and fell asleep defensively, leading to their punishment.
The loss for Leverkusen ended a run of 43 domestic matches without defeat, a run spanning 463 days.
Xabi Alonso’s side, who have scored 17 goals in the 88th minute or later this year, pushed to keep their record alive, but could not find an equalizer this time.
Kampl remarked that they anticipated a tough game against Leverkusen, known for their lethal football, but they aimed to be courageous and proactive. He highlighted their own attacking quality and their composed performance.
Rose was sent to the stands after he was yellow-carded twice in quick succession in the first half for touchline outbursts after a foul on his player.
The Leipzig coach appeared to still be seething after Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface caught the head of Amadou Haidara while attempting a bicycle kick. He was upset Boniface escaped with a booking as Haidara needed to be replaced.
Dortmund players applaud the fans
Dortmund Held at BremenÂ
Earlier on Saturday, a toothless and ill-disciplined Borussia Dortmund were held to a 0-0 draw at Werder Bremen.
Dortmund dominated possession but failed to break through and played the final 17 minutes a man down after center-back Nico Schlotterbeck was sent off.
They came into the game with Maximilian Beier as their one recognized striker, having sent Sebastien Haller out on loan to La Liga side Leganes late on Friday.
Summer signing Serhou Guirassy, brought in to replace Niclas Fuellkrug after the Germany striker left for West Ham, is still weeks away from a return from a knee injury.
Schlotterbeck picked up a second yellow for a challenge on Justin Njinmah, reducing his side to 10 men.
“Everything isn’t exactly great yet,” said Dortmund midfielder Pascal Gross. “The coach prepared us well but we need to do better at implementing it.”
Last season’s surprise runners-up Stuttgart gave away points from a winning position, drawing 3-3 with Mainz after conceding an equalizer in stoppage time.
Strikes from Enzo Millot and Jamie Leweling inside the opening 15 minutes put Stuttgart in control.
The hosts let Mainz back into the match when Millot gave away a clumsy penalty late in the first half, which was converted by Nadiem Amiri.
Jonathan Burkardt, who won the penalty, headed Mainz level after 62 minutes.
Stuttgart, who led in their Bundesliga opener and in the Super Cup against Leverkusen before losing both, led again when Fabian Rieder scored a stunning free-kick with two minutes remaining.
Mainz’s Maxim Leitsch scored in the fourth minute of added time to snatch a point for the visitors.
Eintracht Frankfurt won their opening home game 3-1 against Hoffenheim.
Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike impressed in the win, scoring the opener and laying on a perfect pass for Hugo Larsson’s second.
Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric, who scored a hat-trick in last week’s season opener, pulled one back for the visitors early in the second half, but Egypt winger Omar Marmoush added another to seal the match.
Borussia Moenchengladbach won 2-0 at Bochum, while top-flight newcomers Holstein Kiel are still looking for their first Bundesliga point, going down 2-0 at home to Wolfsburg.
With AFP
