In the opening match of the Bundesliga on Friday, champion Bayer Leverkusen defeated Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-2 thanks to a goal in stoppage time by Florian Wirtz.

This victory extended their league unbeaten streak into the new year.

After Ko Itakura fouled replacement Amine Adli, Leverkusen was given a penalty kick deep into stoppage time.

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Wirtz scored on the rebound to give the visitors the three points. Leverkusen’s advantage was extended in the 38th minute by a rebound after Granit Xhaka opened the score in the 12th with a strong effort from outside the box.

However, Gladbach’s Nico Elvedi scored a close-range goal just before the hour mark, and five minutes remaining, Tim Kleindienst outwitted Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba to tie the score for the home team.

Last season, Leverkusen became the first team in history to go undefeated for the full Bundesliga season, a feat they have already accomplished with 35 games remaining.

Only two teams in Bundesliga history have gone undefeated for lengthier periods of time: Hamburg SV (36 games from 1982 to 1983) and Bayern Munich (53 games from 2012 to 2014).

Leverkusen took the lead early on thanks to a strike from Switzerland’s Xhaka, who seized a rebound and slammed the ball inside the top corner. Leverkusen defeated VfB Stuttgart on penalties to win the German Supercup on Saturday.

Later in the half, Jeremie Frimpong broke into the area with the ball, and Gladbach keeper Jonas Omlin denied Alejandro Grimaldo’s close-range attempt before Wirtz scored on a rebound to extend the lead.

On August 31, Leverkusen will host RB Leipzig, while Gladbach will visit VfL Bochum.

Stuttgart, who came in second place the previous year, will travel to Freiburg on Saturday, while Bayern Munich will begin play on Sunday at VfL Wolfsburg.