BERLIN (AP) — Bayer Leverkusen is taking its talent for late goals into the new season.

Patrik Schick equalised in the 88th minute to secure a 2-2 draw, and on Saturday Leverkusen beat Stuttgart 4-3 on penalties in the German Supercup.

Although it is considered the least important title of the season, both teams played as if it were their last.

Referee Tobias Stieler handed out numerous yellow cards and sent Leverkusen debutant Martin Terrier off the pitch in the first half for an ankle-threatening foul on Stuttgart’s Ermedin Demirović.

Victor Boniface gave Leverkusen an early lead, but Enzo Millot responded almost immediately and Stuttgart hit the crossbar and post.

German striker Deniz Undav gave Stuttgart a 2-1 lead in the 63rd minute, one minute after coming on as a substitute.

Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso sent Schick, Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong onto the field to increase his team’s attacking strength for the last 15 minutes. so often last seasonHis move paid off when Schick equalized in the 88th minute.

In the penalty shootout, Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecký parried Frans Krätzig’s attempt before Silas missed the decisive penalty for Stuttgart.

It was the first German Supercup game without Bayern Munich since 2011. Leverkusen won the Bundesliga and the DFB Cup last season without losing a game, while Stuttgart qualified as runners-up in the league.

Ultras from Leverkusen and Stuttgart boycotted the game in protest because it meant that the teams could not play their DFB Cup matches that weekend.

DFB Cup

With a 4-1 win against fourth division club Phönix Lübeck, Nuri Sahin celebrated a confident debut as coach of Borussia Dortmund in the first round.

Newcomers Pascal Gross, Waldemar Anton, Yan Couto and Maximilian Beier also made their debuts, marking a new beginning for a club that is aiming for the Champions League final but last season they were disappointing domestically.

Sahin, a former Dortmund player, was assistant coach last season. He was promoted to the top position after Edin Terzić has resigned and pointed out the need for a “new era” in the club.

It started well: Gross took a corner in the third minute, which helped Anton score. Emre Can converted a penalty in the 31st minute and Gross set up Julian Brandt for the 3-0 goal before half-time.

American defender Obinna Iloka reduced the deficit, but Couto set up the fourth goal for Dortmund through Julien Duranville in the 62nd minute.

Bundesliga teams Union Berlin, Freiburg, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Leipzig – and last year’s finalists Kaiserslautern – all beat opponents from lower leagues to advance. Newly promoted Holstein Kiel also won.

Bayern Munich moved effortlessly into the second round with a 4-0 victory at second division club Ulm on Friday.

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