RECAP: Leipzig Second Half Surge Carries First Bundesliga Win

photo from Getty Images

by Anthony J. Merced

A second half surge saw RB Leipzig eliminate a deficit and win by four goals against VfB Stuttgart in their first home game of the 2023-24 Bundesliga campaign. The goals came from all of the field with the notorious Red Bull press saw defenders, wingers and forwards hitting the back of the net.

Leipzig and Stuttgart traded jabs in the midfield with few obvious chances. It wasn't until the 35th minute when Stuttgart surprised the hosts and took the lead due to a unfamiliar turnover by David Raum. His pass into the midfield was intercepted and turned into the opening goal by Serhou Guirassy. Goalkeeper Janis Blaswich got a hand on the ball but it wasn't enough to keep it out of the net.

Leipzig found their way back into the game in the second half when a goalkeeping error from Stuttgart on a clearance became the equalizer. Benjamin Henrichs rushed the keeper and deflected the clearance into the net. Leipzig took the lead in the 63rd minute when Dani Olmo's deflected shot found the back of the net. From there the flood gates opened as Lois Openda, Kevin Kampl and Xavi Simons joined in the goal scoring fun.

The win is the first for Leipzig in the Bundesliga and erases a disappointing start to the campaign. It also allowed new players like Openda and Simons to get their goal-scoring legs under them as they will be relied upon for Leipzig to make a run at Bayern Munich and their first Bundesliga title.

Next up is a trip to the German capital against Union Berlin on Sunday, September 3rd.

STARTING XI:

RB Leipzig: Blaswich; Henrichs, Simakan (85' Klostermann), Orban, Raum, Schlager, Kampl, Simons (80' Werner), Olmo (85' Baumgartner), Openda (79' Forsberg), Poulsen (79' Sesko)

VfB Stuttgart: Nubel; Stenzel (70' Massimo), Anton, Zagadou, Ito, Karazor, Egloff (70' Haraguchi), Mvumpa (58' Sosa), Jeong (90' Leweling), Fuhrich (90' Mittelstadt), Guirassy

SCORING SUMMARY:

35' (VfB Stuttgart) Serhou Guirassy

52' (RB Leipzig) Benjamin Henrichs

63' (RB Leipzig) Dani Olmo assisted by Xavier Quentin Simons

66' (RB Leipzig) Lois Openda assisted by David Raum

74' (RB Leipzig) Kevin Kampl

76' (RB Leipzig) Xavier Quentin Simons assisted by Lois Openda

DISCIPLINE:

61' (RB Leipzig) Xaver Schlager - YELLOW CARD

65' VfB Stuttgart) Lilan Egloff - YELLOW CARD

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