Bayer Leverkusen conceded Borussia Mönchengladbach’s first goal of this Bundesliga season. Haris Tabaković’s precise header canceled out Malik Tillman’s strike.
Bayer Leverkusen were held to a 1–1 draw by Borussia Mönchengladbach in a match that combined frustration, late drama, and a symbolic breakthrough for the visitors.
For Malik Tillman, it was another moment of personal satisfaction in his new chapter at Leverkusen, but for Kasper Hjulmand’s side, the dropped points felt like a wasted opportunity in the early stages of the Bundesliga season.
The former PSV player arrived this summer as one of the headline signings for Leverkusen. Much was made of his role as the successor to Florian Wirtz, with Tillman even taking over the German international’s shirt number a symbolic gesture that underlined the faith placed in him. Expectations were high, and Tillman has already shown signs of living up to them. After netting his first Bundesliga goal against Werder Bremen, he scored again against Borussia Mönchengladbach, a side that had gone three full matches without finding the net.
The goal came in the second half and seemed to be the decisive moment. Shortly after Ernest Poku came off the bench, the former AZ player whipped in a cross. Patrick Schick, ever the reference point in Leverkusen’s attack, helped the ball on, and it fell kindly to Tillman. With composure beyond his years, the attacking midfielder calmly slotted the ball past the goalkeeper. It looked like the goal that would secure Hjulmand his second consecutive Bundesliga victory and give Leverkusen momentum at the top of the table.
However, football’s cruelty often lies in its unpredictability, and Leverkusen were reminded of that in the most painful way. Gladbach had been starved of goals all season, their drought stretching beyond 360 minutes. They thought they had broken it in the first half when Jens Castrop found the net, but VAR intervened and ruled the goal out for offside, prolonging their wait. Just when it seemed like they would leave the BayArena empty-handed again, deep into stoppage time, the breakthrough finally came.
A corner from the right-hand side was swung in, and Haris Tabaković rose highest to power a header into the net. The goal was more than just an equalizer it was Borussia Mönchengladbach’s first strike of the Bundesliga season, and one that carried enormous psychological weight. For Mark Flekken, meanwhile, there was little to celebrate. The goalkeeper, now a regular starter, is still waiting for his first clean sheet of the campaign after being beaten so late on.
For Leverkusen, the draw felt like two points dropped. They had the lead, control for large parts of the second half, and the chance to climb further up the Bundesliga standings. Instead, they were left ruing their inability to finish the job and the lapse in concentration that allowed Gladbach to snatch a result at the death. Hjulmand’s side, built around dynamic pressing and quick transitions, showed flashes of promise but lacked the killer instinct required to close games out.
For Gladbach, however, the equalizer might serve as a turning point. Scoring after more than 360 minutes without a goal brings relief and belief to a team that had been struggling to find rhythm. Tabaković’s header not only delivered their first Bundesliga goal but also showed their resilience to fight until the very end.
From a broader Bundesliga perspective, the 1–1 draw keeps Leverkusen in touch with the top but denies them the perfect start they were hoping for under their new coach. With Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig all expected to be strong this season, every point counts in the battle for the title and the Champions League places. Gladbach, meanwhile, remain near the lower half of the table, but this late equalizer could spark the confidence needed to climb.
In the end, the match was a tale of contrasts: Tillman’s promise and growing importance to Leverkusen versus Gladbach’s persistence and refusal to give up. For Hjulmand, it was a lesson that in the Bundesliga, dominance must be matched with focus until the final whistle. For Gladbach, it was proof that even in adversity, moments of inspiration can change the narrative of a season.
