Victor Boniface delivered a thrilling stoppage-time goal, securing a 4-3 victory for Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen against Wolfsburg on Sunday, just in time for their upcoming trip to Bayern Munich.
In a match full of twists and turns, the teams were level at 3-3 by the 48th minute. The tension heightened when Wolfsburg were reduced to ten men in the final moments as Yannick Gerhardt caught Jeremie Frimpong with a reckless challenge.
Having entered the pitch with 22 minutes to go, Boniface received a pass, turned sharply, and found the net, clinching another late triumph for the German champions. Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka was less than satisfied with the performance, calling it a giant wake-up call.
Manager Xabi Alonso made several changes to the squad that comfortably beat Feyenoord 4-0 in the Champions League just days prior, giving Nordi Mukiele his starting debut. Unfortunately, Mukiele had a rocky start, conceding an own goal in the fifth minute when the ball inadvertently bounced off his thigh.
Florian Wirtz quickly restored parity with a stunning long-range strike, and Jonathan Tah put Leverkusen ahead with a header from a corner in the 32nd minute. However, their lead was short-lived as Wolfsburg’s Sebastiaan Bornauw equalised just five minutes later, rising above Mukiele to nod in from close range.
Wolfsburg took the lead again through Mattias Svanberg’s strike from the edge of the box, but Leverkusen responded immediately, with Piero Hincapie scoring to make it 3-3 shortly after the break.
Having claimed their first Bundesliga title last season without suffering a single defeat and only dropping 12 points, Leverkusen faced the prospect of a second consecutive setback following their loss to RB Leipzig in their last home match. However, Boniface’s late intervention ensured they remain just three points behind league leaders Bayern Munich ahead of next week’s crucial encounter in Munich.