Granit Xhaka scores superb goal and Florian Wirtz hits late winner as champions Bayer Leverkusen start Bundesliga campaign with 3-2 victory against Borussia Monchengladbach

Granit Xhaka scored a stunning goal and Florian Wirtz scored the winner in the closing stages to give champions Bayer Leverkusen a 3-2 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga season opener on Friday to extend their unbeaten run into the new season.

Leverkusen were awarded a penalty deep into injury time for a foul by Ko Itakura on substitute Amine Adli. Wirtz scored from a rebound to give the visitors the three points.

Xhaka opened the scoring for Leverkusen in the 12th minute with a powerful shot from outside the penalty area, before Wirtz doubled the lead with a rebound in the 38th minute.

But defender Nico Elvedi scored again from close range for Gladbach just before the hour mark and Tim Kleindienst provided a superb pass to Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba with five minutes to go, allowing the home side to equalise.

Leverkusen became the first team ever to remain unbeaten in an entire Bundesliga season last season, a run that has now been extended to 35 games.

The midfielder refused to celebrate his goal out of respect for his old club

Florian Wirtz scored a dramatic late winner for Leverkusen after his penalty was saved

In the history of the Bundesliga, only two teams have gone unbeaten for more seasons: Bayern Munich with 53 games from 2012 to 2014 and Hamburg SV (36 games from 1982 to 1983).

Leverkusen, who defeated VfB Stuttgart on penalties on Saturday to win the German Super Cup, took an early lead through Xhaka, the Swiss midfielder grabbing a rebound and firing the ball into the top corner.

Later in the half, Jeremie Frimpong entered the penalty area with the ball and a close-range effort from Alejandro Grimaldo was saved by Gladbach keeper Jonas Omlin, with Wirtz tapping in a rebound to extend the lead.

But Gladbach, who narrowly avoided relegation from the play-offs last season and finished in 14th place with 34 points, held their ground against the title holders and Kleindienst thought he could score a goal for the home side just before half-time.

The attacker headed the ball into the net with a dive, but his goal was disallowed for a foul after a VAR review.

Nico Elvedi pulled a goal back for Mönchengladbach when he scored in the 59th minute

Tim Kleindienst equalised in the 85th minute, but Monchengladbach were unable to hold on to the goal

Gladbach managed to get past the Leverkusen defence in the 59th minute via Elvedi after goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky had blocked his header. Kleindienst also got his share of the goal just before the end of the match. The goal was ruled offside by the VAR.

The match was stopped early in the second half when the pitch filled with smoke after fans set off fireworks, causing play to be halted for almost 10 minutes.

Leverkusen will play RB Leipzig on August 31, while Gladbach will travel to VfL Bochum.

Stuttgart, who finished second last season, visit Freiburg on Saturday, while Bayern Munich kick off the competition at VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday.