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It was not Victor Boniface's night as Bayer Leverkusen kicked off their title defence on a shaky note at Borussia Monchengladbach.
Bundesliga Invincibles Bayer Leverkusen kicked off their title defence with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach on Friday night.
Nigeria international Victor Boniface was in action for Leverkusen and made a little impact before being substituted in the 82nd minute with his side leading 2-1.
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The 23-year-old forward created two chances, made two key passes, and struck the post once, showcasing his quality and contribution to Leverkusen's victory but failed to get on the scoresheet.
Leverkusen initially appeared to have the game under control, racing into a 2-0 lead through a stunning long-range strike from Granit Xhaka and a header from young sensation Florian Wirtz just before the break.
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However, Monchengladbach fought back in the second half to level the scores and set up a thrilling finale.
In an eventful match that saw VAR take centre stage, Leverkusen were awarded a late penalty, which Wirtz expertly converted to seal a 3-2 win for the defending champions.
The VAR system was heavily involved, cancelling out one of Borussia's goals and intervening on several other occasions, including the decisive penalty decision.
Despite Boniface, who was hit with a cup ban, being caged, it was Wirtz who emerged as the hero, scoring the winning goal to ensure Leverkusen got their title defence off to a winning start.
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The young midfielder's cool composure from the spot proved to be the difference in an enthralling encounter at Borussia Park.
Bayer Leverkusen will be relieved to have secured all three points in their opening fixture, while Borussia Monchengladbach will be left to rue their missed opportunities. The result sets the stage for what promises to be another captivating Bundesliga campaign.
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