Bayer Leverkusen secured a thrilling 4-3 victory over Wolfsburg with a stoppage-time goal from Victor Boniface, while Borussia Dortmund suffered a heavy 5-1 loss to Stuttgart.
The match between Leverkusen and Wolfsburg was tightly contested, with the score tied at 3-3 since the 48th minute. Wolfsburg faced a setback when Yannick Gerhardt was sent off for a foul on Jeremie Frimpong in the closing stages. Boniface, who came on in the 68th minute, netted the winner in the third minute of stoppage time, enhancing Leverkusen's confidence ahead of their upcoming match against Bayern Munich.
Midfielder Granit Xhaka expressed dissatisfaction despite the win, calling it "a giant wake-up call" and emphasizing the need for improved defensive play. He remarked, "We can't keep going with performances like that," highlighting that the team could not rely solely on scoring.
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso made several changes from the squad that triumphed over Feyenoord in the Champions League. Nordi Mukiele, making his debut, had a challenging start, conceding an own goal in the fifth minute. However, Florian Wirtz equalized shortly after with a stunning long-range effort.
Jonathan Tah gave Leverkusen a brief lead with a header from a corner in the 32nd minute, but Wolfsburg quickly equalized through Sebastiaan Bornauw. Mattias Svanberg then put Wolfsburg ahead before Piero Hincapie leveled the match again just after halftime. Leverkusen's late goal by Boniface kept them three points behind league leaders Bayern.
In other Bundesliga action, RB Leipzig played to a 0-0 draw against promoted St. Pauli, marking their second consecutive scoreless match. St. Pauli created more chances in the first half, but Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi held firm. The hosts earned their first point of the season.
Meanwhile, Stuttgart delivered a dominant performance against Dortmund, who were coming off a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League. Deniz Undav scored twice, with additional goals from Ermedin Demirovic, Enzo Millot, and El Bilal Toure. Dortmund, despite having a strong start to the season, fell behind early, conceding two goals within 21 minutes. Guirassy's late goal provided a brief glimmer of hope, but Stuttgart sealed the victory with two more goals in the final moments.
Undav reflected positively on Stuttgart's performance, stating, "We showed a reaction to the Real Madrid game and I'm happy." Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin acknowledged the defeat, describing Stuttgart's win as "absolutely deserved from the first until the last minute," and expressed confidence that the team would perform better in their next match against Bochum.