LEVERKUSEN, Germany (Interstat) — Bayer Leverkusen and Newcastle United opened their Champions League campaigns with a dramatic 2-2 draw Wednesday afternoon at BayArena, a result that defied pregame projections and was sealed by a late equalizer from the home side.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 2-1 victory for Leverkusen, with its ELO system giving the German side an 87.9 percent probability to win. Instead, the match unfolded as a tense, back-and-forth affair that saw both teams surrender a lead.

Newcastle, the visiting side, struck first against the run of play in the 13th minute. Substitute Bruno Guimarães, who entered the match early, provided the finishing touch to an attacking move, giving the English club a valuable early advantage on the road.

Leverkusen struggled to break down a resolute Newcastle defense for much of the match, but the game turned in a frantic final 20 minutes. The Magpies appeared to have secured a massive upset when another substitute, 18-year-old Lewis Miley, found the net in the 74th minute. Miley’s goal, assisted by fellow substitute Malick Thiaw, doubled Newcastle’s lead and put the hosts on the brink of a surprising defeat.

Facing a two-goal deficit, Leverkusen mounted a fierce comeback. The crucial breakthrough came in the 88th minute when defender Alejandro Grimaldo unleashed a strike to cut the deficit in half. Grimaldo’s goal, assisted by midfielder Aleix García, ignited the home crowd and set up a frantic finale.

Deep into stoppage time, Leverkusen’s pressure delivered a deserved equalizer. In the 90+3rd minute, Newcastle substitute Anthony Gordon completed the scoring, ensuring the points were shared. Gordon’s late intervention, assisted by Leverkusen’s forward Ernest Poku, capped a remarkable and chaotic conclusion to the match.

The contest was a physical one, with four yellow cards issued. Leverkusen’s Thiaw was booked in the 21st minute, followed by Newcastle’s Poku in the 47th. Leverkusen’s García saw a yellow in the 51st minute, and Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, also a substitute, was cautioned in the 82nd minute.

The result leaves both teams with identical records in the Champions League group stage: no wins, no losses and one draw. Their overall records across all competitions for the season also mirror each other at this early stage.

The draw represents a resilient point earned on the road for Newcastle, who weathered significant pressure and nearly stole all three. For a Leverkusen side favored heavily before kickoff, the late rally salvaged a result but highlighted areas for improvement after failing to secure a victory at home. Both clubs will look to build from this shared result as the European group stage continues.