RECAP: Leipzig Fall to Leverkusen in Bundesliga Opener

photo by DPA/Picture Alliance via Getty Images

by Anthony J. Merced

RB Leipzig were brought back down to earth by Xavi Alonso and Bayer Leverkusen who defeated the 2023 Supercup Champions 3-2 at the BayArena to kick off the Bundesliga campaign. A rough first half saw Leipzig fall behind 2-0 before mounting a comeback that fell short despite many missed opportunities.

Leverkusen came in with a game plan that saw them possess the ball and pressure Leipzig into quick decisions. One such play led to a turnover that created the first goal. After giving up the ball in the midfield, Victor Boniface had trouble controlling the ball in the box but was poised enough to find Jeremie Frimpong who beat Leipzig keeper Janis Blaswich for the game's opening goal. 11 minutes later, Leverkusen doubled the league with a headed effort from Jonathan Tah.

Leipzig responded well before the end of the first half when Dani Olmo notched his first goal of the campaign with a header. The goal sent the away team into halftime feeling as if an equalizer was at hand. However, Leverkusen was not to be outdone as they came out to start the remainder of the game with more fire than their Leipzig counterparts. Frimpong controlled the ball well and found youngster Florian Wirtz, who's effort hit the crossbar and bounced into the net in the 64th minute, restoring the two goal lead.

Leipzig got one back from new-signing Lois Openda, who took down a pass from the head of Mohamed Simakan. Openda did get another opportunity minutes later but hit the post with an open net in front. Leverkusen held on to grab all three points and continue the blossoming rivalry between these two teams.

Leipzig will play their first home game next week against VfB Stuttgart at Red Bull Arena on Friday.

STARTING XI:

RB Leipzig: Blaswich; Henrichs, Simakan, Orban, Raum, Seiwald (62' Kampl), Schlager (84' Carvalho), Simons (62' Lukeba), Werner (62' Poulsen), Openda (75' Forsberg), Olmo

Bayer Lekerkusen: Hradecky; Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba, Frimpong (78' Arthur), Palacios, Xhaka, Grimaldo, Hofmann (89' Arimi), Wirtz (75' Andrich), Boniface (89' Hlozek)

SCORING SUMMARY:

24' (Bayer Leverkusen) Jeremie Frimpong assisted by Victor Boniface

35' (Bayer Leverkusen) Jonathan Tah

39' (RB Leipzig) Dani Olmo

64' (Bayer Leverkusen) Florian Wirtz assisted by Jeremie Frimpong

71' (RB Leipzig) Luis Openda assisted by Mohamed Simakan

DISCIPLINE:

62' (RB Leipzig) Nicolas Seiwald - YELLOW CARD

69' (Bayer Leverkusen) Victor Boniface - YELLOW CARD

81' (RB Leipzig) Castello Lukeba - YELLOW CARD

Comments

Red Bulls Announce Fan Experience Improvements

by Garry Redman On top of the theme nights announced this season, something new has been added the next time the season ticket holders and supporters step inside The Cathedral... The state-of-the-art LED lighting system at Red Bull Arena will provide higher on-field light levels for enhanced visibility and safety and introduce new entertainment features that heighten the overall experience for spectators. Built around Musco's Total Light Control—TLC for LED™ technology, the new system is designed to provide exceptional playability and uniformity while minimizing glare. Cleaner, whiter light will elevate the broadcast quality for fans watching around the world. Color-changing fixtures and Show-Light® Pro entertainment technology will allow the Red Bulls to wash the stadium in different colors and synchronize light shows to music, heightening the fan experience during goal celebrations, player introductions, and other big moments. If you have no idea what this means, click here t

Rumor: Dru Yearwood to be Traded to Nashville SC

photo by Matt Kremkau by Anthony J. Merced More trade rumors are circulating as Red Bulls midfielder Dru Yearwood is linked to a move to Nashville SC according to Tom Bogert of the Athletic . What Red Bull will receive for such a trade remains to be seen. However expectations are that the move will be finalized by the end of next week. Yearwood joined New York in 2020 from Brentford in England. Along the way he has made 86 appearances for the club, including 55 starts. In 2021 and 2022 he made 18 starts, scoring three goals and three assists, his total output for the club in Major League Soccer. In 2023 Yearwood found his position in the club to vary greatly. At times he played in a defensive midfield role next to Frankie Amaya and other times higher up the field, almost as a second forward. After the departure of Cristian Casseres Jr. earlier in the year, it appeared as if Yearwood's minutes would increase. However Daniel Edelman stepped into the role, relegating Yearwood to more

Ex-Red Bulls Coach Gerhard Struber Shares Thoughts on MLS and Salzburg

photo by Matt Kremkau by Anthony J. Merced Red Bull News Network had the chance to communicate with former New York Red Bulls head coach Gerhard Struber, now the manager of Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga. Struber was with New York from the end of the 2020 campaign through to the early part of 2023. Along the way he secured two playoff berths, a seventh and fourth place finish in 2021 and 2022 respectively. While his time was ended abruptly in MLS, his memories of the American version of the game have helped him prepare for such a monumental task in Europe. You spent nearly three seasons in Major League Soccer with the New York Red Bulls, what did you learn from that experience that has made you a different coach at Red Bull Salzburg? Struber: In addition to the sporting aspects, there is a lot that I was able to gain from my work at New York Red Bulls. Any work in a foreign country not only brings you closer to the language, but also to the culture and mentality of the pe

Red Bull News Network

Search This Blog