Boniface nets stoppage-time winner as Leverkusen edge Wolfsburg in seven-goal epic
After scoring eight goals across their last two matches, Leverkusen appeared to be back on the right track following a first domestic defeat since May 2023.
However, inside five minutes they were behind here, with Nordi Mukiele awkwardly prodding past his own goalkeeper from Mohamed Amoura’s cross.
Die Werkself weren’t behind for long though, responding before the quarter-hour mark through the talismanic Florian Wirtz, whose volley from the edge of the box bounced into the bottom corner past a despairing Kamil Grabara.
Momentum was with Xabi Alonso’s men, and after a period of pressure, the hosts led for the first time through Jonathan Tah.
The centre-back was left unmarked at the back post, allowing him to power Alejandro Grimaldo’s corner back across goal to the delight of the home faithful.
While poor marking cost them then, Wolfsburg took advantage of the same fault at the other end to restore parity, with Sebastiaan Bornauw heading home his second strike of the season.
However, that goal spurred the visitors on to retake the lead in first-half stoppage time. Mattias Svanberg’s stunning turn in midfield allowed him to storm towards the edge of the area and delightfully curl a shot beyond Lukas Hradecky, silencing the capacity crowd inside the BayArena.
Alonso made a double substitution at the break in a clear sign of his unhappiness, and it proved a masterstroke as the Bundesliga champions made it 3-3 within five minutes of the restart.
Once more, defending a corner let Wolfsburg down as Aleix Garcia’s teasing delivery was nodded home by an unmarked Piero Hincapie.
The game’s sixth goal established a new pattern in play that would be present until the final whistle, with Leverkusen knocking on the door for a winner. Boniface came off the bench and rifled a volley at Grabara, but the Wolfsburg stopper was equal to it as the visitors continued to hold on.
Martin Terrier then headed over, before the Wolves’ task was made even harder by a late red card for Yannick Gerhardt, dismissed for two offences in a matter of seconds against Jeremie Frimpong.
Granit Xhaka sought to take advantage, smashing the post with a trademark long-range strike. Wolfsburg’s defending was heroic, but Leverkusen are experts at striking late.
They repeated the act so many times on the way to the Meisterschale last season, and once more Boniface stepped up to ensure all three points stayed with the champions.
The Nigerian pounced on a loose ball in the box to slam past Grabara and break the visitors’ hearts - the perfect warm-up ahead of Die Werkself’s meeting with Bayern Munich next week.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
