Boniface scores twice as Bayer Leverkusen routs Darmstadt

BERLIN (AP) — Bayern Munich substitute Mathys Tel scored late for the Bundesliga champion to come from behind and beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 on Saturday.

It’s Bayern’s first league win over its old rival at the fifth attempt.

Tel headed in Joshua Kimmich’s corner in the 87th minute, six minutes after he went on for Leon Goretzka, to maintain Bayern’s winning start to the league. But the visitors had to fight for it.

Japan defender Ko Itakura opened the scoring for Gladbach in the 30th when he lobbed a header over Sven Ulreich in the Bayern goal after Maximilian Wöber headed on Alassane Plea’s corner.

Bayern had more possession, more shots and more corners. But Gerardo Seoane’s team defended doggedly and Bayern lacked that final cutting edge to break through. Leroy Sané went closest when he grazed the crossbar, but Marvin Friedrich also struck the crossbar for Gladbach a few minutes before the goal.

Bayern increased its pressure after the break, when Itakura made a goal-line block to stop Goretzka and produced another block to deny Harry Kane, who looked out of sorts for Bayern.

Kimmich finally made the breakthrough when he lofted a cross for Leroy Sané to equalize in the 58th.

Gladbach reserve goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas, playing for the injured Jonas Omlin, made a fine save to deny Bayern substitute Serge Gnabry, then another to thwart Sané.

But Nicolas’ defense let him down as Tel was left free to head the decisive goal.

“We deserved it, but it feels good because we kept at it and didn't lose our nerve,” Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said.

LEVERKUSEN KEEP ROLLING

New signing Victor Boniface scored twice and set up another goal as Bayer Leverkusen routed promoted Darmstadt 5-1.

It was Leverkusen’s third win from three games.

Jeremie Frimpong also starred for coach Xabi Alonso’s team, setting Boniface off on a run after two Darmstadt defenders crashed into each other. Boniface eluded one attempted challenge, then another, before dispatching the ball past goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen in the 21st minute.

Oscar Vilhelmsson equalized from close range three minutes later but it was as good as it got for the defensively minded visitors.

Frimpong set up Exequiel Palacios to score in the 49th, and Granit Xhaka and Florian Wirtz helped Boniface to his second in the 61st, seven minutes before Boniface laid the ball off for Jonas Hofmann to score.

Alonso brought on new signings Nathan Tella (from Southampton) and Josip Stanišić (on loan from Bayern Munich) for their debuts in the 72nd, then Noah Mbamba (from Club Brugge) and Adam Hlozek in the 80th.

Mbamba set up Hlozek to complete the scoring in the 83rd.

Serhou Guirassy and Chris Führich both scored twice as Stuttgart blew away Freiburg 5-0 despite losing key players in the summer transfer period. Left back Borna Sosa was the latest to leave when he joined Ajax on Friday.

Guinea forward Guirassy already has five goals in three Bundesliga games so far.

Japan midfielder Takuma Asano scored twice for Bochum to draw at Augsburg 2-2, Werder Bremen eased to a 4-0 win over Mainz, and Hoffenheim defeated Wolfsburg 3-1.

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