RB Leipzig has worked out a decent starting position in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League against Manchester City. But it was only when the Saxons gave up their completely passive and defensive style of play that they managed to equalize on Wednesday (02/22/23) after being 1-0 down at the break to make it 1-1 in the end.
Riyad Mahrez gave the guests the lead from 15 meters (27th) and gave Janis Blaswich no chance in the Sachsen box. But RB didn’t give up and equalized through Josko Gvardiol in the middle of the second half.
Leipzig started the game in a disciplined manner, but quickly found themselves facing dominant guests. Pep’s team quickly gained up to 80 percent possession of the ball. However, RB’s focus on the defensive prevented the Englishman from approaching the goal dangerously.
However, that changed in the 27th minute: Xaver Schlager, who had been stable until then, played unhappily into Jack Grealish’s feet in his own half. Ilkay Gündogan skilfully let his pass to the top pass. Mahrez took the ball well and completed it precisely with his left and hit the bottom right. To date, the absence of City star Kevin de Bruyne has not yet made itself felt among the British.
Second half with reversed roles
Marco Rose’s team changed their tactical orientation at the start of the second period. Leipzig now gave up its passivity and at least worked towards the goal. Above all, bringing in Benjamin Henrichs (for Lukas Klostermann) revived the attacking efforts of the hosts. Leipzig now took more and more of the initiative and had 66 percent in the middle of the second period. Ball Percentages.
RB missed good scoring chances: Henrichs first headed over the goal (53′), then he fired a shot from a promising position just wide (55′). Manchester, on the other hand, lacked the otherwise feared offensive power: Last but not least, De Bruyne’s advances also missed City striker Erling Haaland, who was completely ineffective.
Gvardiol with an outstanding header
The Leipzig team’s courage, which Coach Rose called for before the game, was rewarded in the 70th minute: Shortly after Christopher Nkunku, who had been injured for a long time, was substituted on, Marcel Halstenberg served the center of the attack with a cross from the left in an exemplary manner. Central defender Gvardiol spiraled irresistibly upwards and headed in from four meters for the acclaimed equaliser.
“In the first half we were happy to only go out 0-1 – in the second half, on the other hand, we could do better than the draw”, said national player Henrichs after the game at DAZN. Because of his missed goal chance, however, he will “sleepless nights” have. Schlager emphasized: “We have to be angry about the first half.”
Leipzig now against Frankfurt
The second leg will take place on March 14th. The next task for the Saxons in the Bundesliga is the home game on matchday 22 against Eintracht Frankfurt. The game starts on Saturday (02/25/2023) at 3:30 p.m.