August 17, (THEWILL) – Leverkusen clinched the 2024 German Supercup in a dramatic encounter against Stuttgart at the BayArena. The match, which ended 2-2 after regular time, was decided by a penalty shootout where Leverkusen emerged victorious.
The game began with Leverkusen taking an early lead through Nigerian forward Victor Boniface, who scored from close range following a header by Edmond Tapsoba. Stuttgart quickly equalised when Enzo Millot found the bottom corner after a fine cross from Maximilian Mittelstadt. The first half took a turn when Leverkusen’s Martin Terrier received a red card for a dangerous challenge on Demirovic, leaving his team with 10 men.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Leverkusen held firm until the second half when Stuttgart’s substitute Deniz Undav put his team ahead. With time running out, Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso’s tactical changes paid off. In the final moments, Alejandro Grimaldo provided a perfect through ball for Patrik Schick, who calmly finished to level the score and force penalties.
The shootout proved to be the ultimate test of nerves. Stuttgart’s Silas Mvumpa missed the crucial spot-kick, handing Leverkusen the victory and the Supercup trophy. This win marks a strong start to the season for Alonso’s team, who showed great resilience playing with 10 men for much of the match.
Both teams will now turn their attention to the upcoming Bundesliga season, which kicks off next week. This thrilling Supercup encounter has set the stage for what promises to be an exciting German football season in 2024.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
