![](/assets/placeholder/resp_live_placeholder_image_home.jpg)
Bayer Leverkusen battle back to beat VfB Stuttgart on penalties in Supercup
Domestic double winners in 2023/24, Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen are now the Supercup champions after the ten-men Werkself battled back to equalise late on before breaking Stuttgart hearts in a penalty shootout.
Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 VfB Stuttgart (Bayer win 4-3 on pens.)
Goals: 1-0 Boniface 11' (assist: Tapsoba), 1-1 Millot 15' (assist: Mittelstädt), 1-2 Undav 63' (assist: Krätzig), 2-2 Schick 88' (assist: Grimaldo)
Red card: Terrier 37'
Looking to pick up where they left off in an unforgettable double-winning campaign, Leverkusen hit the front early on in front of their passionate fans. New signing Aleix García looked right at home at the BayArena and it was his cross to the back post that saw Edmond Tapsoba head back across goal. The ball might have dropped in, but Boniface made sure with a tap in. Runners-up in the last edition of the Bundesliga, Stuttgart quickly sought parity and after Ermedin Demirović flashed a header over, the visitors drew level. Olympic Games silver medallist Millot latched onto Maximilian Mittelstädt's neat cut-back and swept a fine shot away from the reach of Lukáš Hradecký. As the rain fell, the intensity of a contest between two teams who produced three memorable battles last season increased. Demirović found the upright after outmuscling Piero Hincapié before the Stuttgart forward felt the force of a hefty Martin Terrier challenge that saw the new Bayer 04 signing ordered off. Millot and Pascal Stenzel then both hit the woodwork in an unrelenting half.
Wary of his side's numerical disadvantage, Werkself coach Xabi Alonso introduced Jonathan Tah for Boniface. Yet it was a Stuttgart switch that made the telling impact. So long a favourite with the Swabians during a top campaign on loan at the MHP Arena last season, Deniz Undav recently made his move permanent and he converted Frans Krätzig's assist to send the Stuttgart fans wild here while ultimately earning himself the Man of the Match award. Their tails up, the away side looked to turn the screw. Jeff Chabot drew a stop from Lukáš Hrádecký with a powerful effort while Undav was denied a second thanks to a jaw-dropping Hincapié tackle. In between times, Alexander Nübel clawed out when Chabot almost bundled into his own net. Unbeaten on the domestic front last season, Leverkusen frantically sought an equaliser and when a combination of Patrik Schick, Jeanuël Belocian and Jeremie Frimpong couldn't convert, the Supercup seemed destined for Stuttgart. Step forth Schick, so many times B04's late saviour last season, the Czech sliding home Álex Grimaldo's through pass with just two minutes remaining. The contest going straight to an intriguing penalty shootout, Hrádecký saving from Krätzig made it advantage Leverkusen, and it was Bayer's title when Silas skied from the spot.
Watch: Bayer Leverkusen lift the Supercup
![](/assets/placeholder/resp_live_placeholder_image_home.jpg)
Match stats
- Leverkusen and Stuttgart were competing in the Supercup for the first time since its 2010 re-introduction.
- Bayer scored 34 competitive goals from the 81st minute onwards in 2023/24, 25 of which were netted from the 86th minute onwards.
- Boniface was Leverkusen's top scorer with 14 Bundesliga goals last season.
- Stuttgart Substitute Undav scored with his first touch of the game.
- Alonso won two Supercups as a player for Bayern, and now lifts the title for the first time as a coach.
Teams
Leverkusen: Hrádecký (c) - Tapsoba, Andrich (Schick 73'), Hincapie - Tella (Frimpong 73'), Aleix Garcia, Xhaka, Belocian - Adli (Wirtz 73'), Boniface (Tah 41'), Terrier
Unused subs: Kovář, Arthur, Grimaldo, Kossounou, Hofmann
Coach: Xabi Alonso
Stuttgart: Nübel - Stenzel (Keitel 83'), Rouault, Chabot, Mittelstädt (Krätzig 62') - Karazor (c), Stiller (Undav 63'), Leweling (Silas 63'), Führich (Diehl 77'), Millot - Demirović
Unused subs: Bredlow, Hendriks, Rieder, Woltemade
Out: Nartey (knee), Pfeiffer (match fitness), Stergiou (back), Vagnoman (metatarsal), Zagadou (match fitness)
Coach: Sebastian Hoeneß
Related news
![Vote for August's Bundesliga Goal of the Month](/assets/placeholder/resp_live_placeholder_image_home.jpg)
Vote for August's Goal of the Month
There have already been some wonderful goals scored in the opening two weeks of Bundesliga action, providing plenty of worthy options for the Goal of the Month award.
![Hoffenheim's Andrej Kramarić on scoring goals, aims for the season and staying at the club](/assets/placeholder/resp_live_placeholder_image_home.jpg)
Kramarić: "I've fulfilled my dreams"
An exclusive interview with the Hoffenheim talisman, who leads the way in the Bundesliga scoring chart this season.
![Borussia Dortmund's Maximilian Beier on his "crazy" rise to the top](/assets/placeholder/resp_live_placeholder_image_home.jpg)
Maxi Beier on his "crazy" rise to the top
From Bundesliga 2 to the Champions League and Germany squad inside a year: Dortmund's new forward takes stock of his path to success.