RB Leipzig collected important points in the fight for international places in the Bundesliga against 1. FC Heidenheim, but made things unnecessarily exciting.
RB Leipzig won on Saturday (December 2nd, 2023) in the Bundesliga in front of 44,887 spectators against promoted team 1. FC Heidenheim 2-1 (2-1). Loïs Openda (29th minute) with a penalty kick and Yussuf Poulsen (44th) scored the goals for Leipzig, Benedikt Gimber (45th + 2) only managed the next goal shortly before the half-time whistle. While the Leipzig team was annoyed about the many missed opportunities, the penalty at Heidenheim caused an upset.
Thanks to the win, the Saxons (26 points) remain in the top spot after 13 match days Champions League-Places, Heidenheim (11) remains in the bottom of the table.
Leipzig’s Henrichs: “Glad we won”
After the final whistle, Leipzig’s Benjamin Henrichs put his finger on the wound on the Sportschau microphone and discussed the poor exploitation of opportunities: “It wasn’t easy. We actually started the game very well and got the goal just before half-time. We had a lot of chances and didn’t take advantage of them. Heidenheim had a big chance in the last minute and they were able to equalize. In the end “We’re happy that we won. We have to be more consistent in crucial situations.”
Florian Eib, Sportschau, December 2nd, 2023 5:57 p.m
A win against Heidenheim was a must for Leipzig after only one win from the last three league games, especially since the promoted team was the weakest away with just one point team the league is. The Saxons accelerated accordingly from kick-off. The game almost exclusively went in one direction – towards the Heidenheim goal.
RBOpportunity Festival from beginning to
In the second minute, Openda had the lead after a cross from David Raum, but volleyed the ball over the goal from close range. Three minutes later, Poulsen was denied by FCH goalkeeper Kevin Müller from five meters. Müller was also the center of attention in the eleventh minute when he defused a shot from Openda at the near corner.
After a quarter of an hour, Leipzig’s usury of chances almost took its revenge. Marvin Pieringer almost took the lead in Heidenheim’s first attack after a counterattack, but his header from the center went a meter left of the goal – RB goalkeeper Janis Blaswich would have been powerless.
Heidenheim is annoyed about the penalty
Ultimately, a penalty was needed to give Leipzig the lead. According to referee Christian Dingert Openda, Norman Theuerkauf fouled Openda in the five-pointer, the referee immediately decided on a penalty – much to the displeasure of the Heidenheimers. Theuerkauf said this on the Sportschau microphone: “It’s very, very bitter with the penalty, which in my opinion wasn’t a penalty. I just go to the ball, want to block it and just realize that it (Openda, the editor.) kicks me and not the other way around. I think the pictures show that too.”
Florian Eib, Sportschau, December 2nd, 2023 6:22 p.m
The person who was fouled himself took action and let FCH-Keeper Müller has no chance. The only positive thing from Heidenheim’s point of view at this point was that it was only 0-1.
Shortly before the break, Poulsen made it 2-0 after a cross from Raum from close range – the result now reflected the course of the game a little better. But in the second minute of stoppage time in the first half, FCH made things exciting again. After a corner from Jan-Niklas Beste, Lennard Maloney extended the ball to the second post, where Gimber stood in the right place and netted with his left.
Florian Eib, Sportschau, December 2nd, 2023 6:26 p.m
Rose’s team is not efficient enough
How would Marco Rose’s team react to the setback? The second half started like the first, RB continued to build steam, but still, as so often, lacked efficiency. In the 47th minute it was almost 3-1, but only almost: First, Baumgartner was denied by Müller on the right side of the penalty area, Poulsen grabbed the rebound, went around the FCH goalkeeper and then let Openda finish – the Belgian’s shot was taken blocked at the last moment.
And as a result, RB was negligent with its chances. Xaver Schlager (55th) put the ball on the left half of the five-yard box into the side netting after a fine pass from Xavi Simons. Shortly afterwards, Omar Traoré (58th) thwarted a counterattack chance from Simons. Leipzig’s attacking whirlwind fizzled out, and there were now problems with concentration at times. Meanwhile, Heidenheim tried to further disrupt the Saxons’ flow of play with small fouls.
Hitting the post and crossbar
Heidenheim defended passionately, Leipzig continued to push for the preliminary decision, but repeatedly lacked the killer instinct in front of the goal. Openda (77th) served space in the penalty area, whose shot from 13 meters flew well over the goal. Just a minute later, Openda put the ball at the near post from a tight angle on the left. A free kick cross from Raum on the left from 18 meters went past the far post, Traoré (90.+2) headed a cross onto his own crossbar.
Florian Eib, Sportschau, December 2nd, 2023 6:18 p.m
In the end it was a narrow 2-1 for the Saxons, also because Heidenheim’s Gimber (90+4) chased the ball over the crossbar from the right corner of the penalty area. If they had exploited their chances better, RB could have saved themselves from shaking until the end.
Leipzig against Dortmund, Heidenheim welcomes Darmstadt
On the next matchday, Heidenheim will host SV Darmstadt (Saturday, December 9th, 2023, 3:30 p.m.). RB Leipzig is challenged in the top game against BVB on the same day (6.30 p.m.).