Elversberg tear up the record books after dream Bundesliga debut victory over Bayer Leverkusen
Vincent Wagner's Elversberg, who were playing fourth-tier football as recently as five years ago, marked their Bundesliga debut in stunning fashion on Saturday, defeating seasoned top-flight campaigners Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 to make history at the first time of asking.
Very little chance was given to Elversberg, who had a win probability of just 17.9 percent ahead of kick-off, but the small club from the Saarland were not discouraged by their underdog label.
They may have had seven Bundesliga debutants in their starting XI, and only a combined 25 top-flight appearances between the other four members of their line-up, but the Black and Whites remained quietly confident. After all, Elversberg had never lost on the opening matchday of a season at professional level, recording two wins and three draws in the Bundesliga 2 and 3. Liga.
That confidence was evident almost immediately as Elversberg raced into a two-goal lead inside nine minutes, with Lukas Petkov and Cole Campbell both finishing clinically. The goals also saw them become the quickest Bundesliga debutants to score their first two goals, breaking the previous record of 17 minutes set by VfB Leipzig in 1993.
Watch: Elversberg 3-2 Bayer Leverkusen - highlights
Composure in front of goal was the name of the game for Elversberg, who put three past Mark Flekken in the Leverkusen goal, despite amassing an xGoals value of just 1.35 come the final whistle.
Additionally, 20-year-old Campbell, who joined from Borussia Dortmund in the summer, was Elversberg's most experienced player on the pitch so far as Bundesliga appearances go, with 10 prior top-flight outings for both the Black-Yellows and Hoffenheim, where he spent the latter half of the previous campaign on loan.
Speaking after the game, the American starlet delightedly explained: "What a start. We still cannot descibe the feelings we have after the game. It’s amazing to win against such a good opponent. And also to start the first game off with a win is absolutely amazing. I could not be happier."
Watch: Campbell reflects on dream start
The fact that Campbell was Elversberg's most experienced player perhaps served as further evidence that the Saarlanders' perceived lack of experience may actually have played into their hands.
Their slick passing, confidence in possession and direct style of play proved too much for Die Werkself to handle. After leading 2-0 at half-time, they showed no signs of letting up after the break, adding a third just 45 seconds into the second half when David Mokwa finished neatly from Petkov's assist.
Die Werkself did manage to reduce the deficit to 3-2 before the final whistle as Elversberg's blistering start began to take its toll, but the Black and Whites held firm against the famous 'Laterkusen' to become the first team since Ingolstadt in 2015 to win their maiden Bundesliga outing. History made!
