Defending Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen were forced to let go of a 35-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga after Loïs Openda's double and a Kevin Kampl header left the hosts - who had led 2-0 - stunned in the second game of a new season.

Bayer Leverkusen 2-3 RB Leipzig
Goals: 1-0 Frimpong 39', 2-0 Grimaldo 45' (assist: Wirtz), 2-1 Kampl 45'+7, 2-2 Openda 57' (assist: Šeško), 2-3 Openda 80' (assist: Nusa)

"Deutscher Fußballmeister" - or "German champions" - chanted the Leverkusen fans as their heroes lined out at the BayArena for their first Bundesliga home game of the season. The hosts soon showed why they were top-dogs in 2023/24 in an incident-packed first half. Edmond Tapsoba worked goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi from close range before Piero Hincapié struck the crossbar. Granit Xhaka then shot narrowly wide as Xabi Alonso orchestrated from the sideline. His opposite number, Marco Rose, was red-carded for protesting yet despite their early travails, Leipzig should have taken the lead here. In a rare visiting attack, Openda put one on a plate for Benjamin Šeško, who angled a header wide. The fright emboldened Bayer 04 and they took the lead when Jeremie Frimpong latched onto a slack Lukas Klostermann pass before giving El Chadaille Bitshiabu the slip and finishing neatly at the near post. Now in full flow, the defending champions made it 2-0, Álex Grimaldo taking advantage of some smart play by Martin Terrier and Florian Wirtz. The visitors looked dead and buried, however, when an unmarked Kampl nodded in Benjamin Henrichs' centre before the break, Die Roten Bullen were alive once more. 

The non-stop action spilled into the second half with Matěj Kovář palming out a Kampl drive. The Leipzig warnings kept coming. Castello Lukeba had an effort ruled out for offside while Wirtz and Terrier offered the hosts some respite with respective efforts that threatened the away goal. Living up to its name right from the off, the weekend's Topspiel - or top game - was brought level after Šeško's through pass found Openda and the  Belgian - scorer of 24 Bundesliga goals last term - found a way through Kovář with a blast from the right. Guilty of giving up a 2-0 lead for a second successive Bundesliga game, the Werkself dug deep as they sought the lead once more and Gulácsi was forced into a save to deny Terrier's header. Despite home efforts, the second-half spring in Leipzig's step was undeniable. Scorer of a winning Red Bulls goal on his debut last week, Antonio Nusa turned provider here for Openda, whose powerful drive left Kovář well beaten. The busy Gulácsi stopped efforts from Wirtz and then Grimaldo, as Leipzig held on to end Leverkusen's lenghty unbeaten streak. 

Match stats

• Leverkusen's run of 43 unbeaten games in domestic competition - Bundesliga, DFB Cup and Supercup - comes to an end.
• Leipzig now boast the best current undefeated streak in the Bundesliga at 13 games.
• With his first Bundesliga goals of the campaign, Openda brings his top-flight tally to 26. 
• Grimaldo scored 10 of his 11 Bundesliga goals with his left foot. 
• Frimpong also scored Leverkusen's opener in last season's 3-2 home win against Leipzig and now boasts three goals in total against Die Roten Bullen. 
• Marco Rose is the first Bundesliga coach to be sent off twice since cards for tacticians were introduced in 2019. 

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Teams

Leverkusen: Kovář - Tapsoba (Arthur 86'), Tah (c), Hincapié - Frimpong (Tella 77'), Xhaka, García, Grimaldo - Terrier (Adli), Wirtz - Boniface (Schick 77')
Unused subs: Lomb, Mukiele, Belocian, Andrich
Out: Hrádecký (ill), Palacios (knee)
Coach: Xabi Alonso

Leipzig: Gulácsi (c) - Klostermann, Bitshiabu, Castello - Henrichs (Vermeeren 89'), Kampl (Baumgartner 89'), Haidara (Seiwald 15'), Raum Xavi - Openda (Poulsen 89'), Šeško (Nusa 67')
Unused subs: Vandevoordt, Elmas, Gebel, Silva
Out: Orbán (suspended), Ouédraogo (knee), Schlager (knee)
Coach: Marco Rose

About the clubs

Bayer 04 Leverkusen

BayArena

RB Leipzig

Red Bull Arena