Bayern Munich needed a stoppage-time winner from Bastian Schweinsteiger to beat VfL Wolfsburg 2-1 and successfully kick off their Bundesliga title defence on Friday.
Bayern were the livelier side early on, despite missing injured winger Arjen Robben and Ivica Olic, with Franck Ribery in superb form.
World Cup joint-top scorer Thomas Mueller fired the hosts into the lead in the ninth minute after combining beautifully with Toni Kroos.
Last season's Bundesliga top scorer Edin Dzeko grabbed a deserved 55th minute equaliser for Wolfsburg when he headed in a Zvjezdan Misimovic corner to give fired-up former England coach Steve McClaren a reason to smile on his Bundesliga debut.
But Bayern hit back deep into added time when an unmarked Schweinsteiger tapped in a Ribery cross at the far post.
Schalke 04, runners-up last season, take on Hamburg SV on Saturday while Werder Bremen, who finished third, visit Hoffenheim.