Bayer Leverkusen won the German Super Cup on penalties against Stuttgart after needing a last-minute equaliser to avoid defeat.

Xabi Alonso’s team remained unbeaten for 51 games at the start of last season, losing only the Europa League final against Atalanta before winning the German double.

But in the first home game of the 2024/25 season, they would have suffered a surprise defeat by two minutes against last season’s Bundesliga runners-up.

Victor Boniface scored the league champions’ opening goal after a header from Edmond Tapsoba into the empty net.

But Enzo Millot equalized in the 15th minute with a direct shot from 15 meters.

Leverkusen’s debutant Martin Terrier was then sent off for a dangerous foul on Ermedin Demirovic.

Deniz Undav, who was signed permanently from Brighton in the summer after joining Stuttgart on loan last season, put the visitors ahead with his first touch after coming on as a substitute.

But Patrik Schick converted a through ball from Alex Grimaldo two minutes before the end to make it 2-2 and the game had to go to penalties.

Stuttgart’s Frans Kratzig and Silas were the only ones to miss their penalties and Leverkusen won the penalty shootout 4-3.

For both teams, it was only their second appearance in the German Supercup. Stuttgart won in 1992, Leverkusen lost the following year.

For Leverkusen, this is already the fifth major cup victory in the club’s history after the German championship and the DFB Cup last season, the DFB Cup in 1993 and the UEFA Cup in 1988.

It is also noteworthy that this was the first German Supercup since 2011 that did not involve Bayern Munich, who finished third in the previous Bundesliga season.