Matthew Leckie was handed a new role by Hertha Berlin head coach Ante Covic in a high-octane 2-2 draw with Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
The Caltex Socceroo was regularly deployed in an attacking position by former chief Pal Dardai but the Hungarian was replaced in the off-season after four years in charge in the German capital.
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New boss Covic, not the former Caltex Socceroos goalkeeper but his German-born namesake, fielded Leckie in a right wing-back role in the season opener to combat the threat of the five-time European champions.
The 28-year-old did a fine job tussling with Austrian full-back David Alaba and French flyer Kingsley Coman on Bayern's left, but Hertha fell behind when Polish hitman Robert Lewandowski turned in Serge Gnabry’s cross on 24 minutes.
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The home favourites were stunned at Allianz Arena as two goals in three minutes flipped the game on its head.
Young Belgian midfielder Dodi Lukebakio’s strike deflected past Manuel Neuer to level the scores on 36 minutes and, almost immediately after the restart, former Liverpool attacker Marko Grujic stayed composed when through on goal to put the visitors in front.
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Niko Kovac’s side were awarded a penalty when a VAR review spotted an off-the-ball incident and four-time golden boot winner Lewandowski made no mistake from the spot on 62 minutes to tie the game back up.
Former Hyundai A-League star Sarpreet Singh was an unused substitute for the 29-time German champions. Leckie’s Hertha host Wolfsburg next weekend at the Olympiastadion.
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