Little speed, hardly any ideas – but a later celebration: RB Leipzig reaches for the main prize of the Europa League thanks to match winner Angelino.
The runners-up won the first leg of the semi-finals against the Scottish champions Glasgow Rangers with difficulty 1-0 (0-0) and has come an important step closer to the final on May 18 in Seville. The Spaniard (85th) redeemed the Saxons after an overall disappointing performance with a brilliant volley.
“It was difficult, but we now have a small lead when we go to Glasgow next week. We’re in the final with half a leg – and then you want to win a title,” said club boss Oliver Mintzlaff on “RTL +”: ” We’re happy that we kept a clean sheet and scored the goal. It certainly wasn’t a great game from us.”
The Europa League and DFB Cup double, where Leipzig meets SC Freiburg in Berlin, now remains a realistic goal. It would be the first title in the club’s young history. “We can thank Angelino for that shot on Sunday. Now we have a good starting position,” said defender Benjamin Henrichs.
The decision will be made in the second leg on May 5 at Ibrox Stadium, where Borussia Dortmund’s European Cup season ended in February. Then RB must also face the atmosphere in the Rangers’ cauldron.
The fans who traveled with them from the island, who loudly supported their team in the Red Bull Arena, provided a foretaste. Around 8000 fans traveled to Saxony. By no means everyone had bought a ticket.
RB Leipzig doesn’t make enough of his possession of the ball
Because of the yellow locks for Mohamed Simakan and Willi Orban, RB coach Domenico Tedesco had to switch defensively. He rejected the idea of switching from the tried-and-tested chain of three to a chain of four. The Rangers’ two best attackers, Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe, were missing through injury.
Leipzig found it difficult to fill Tedesco’s final announcement (“We have already achieved one thing, now we want to get the second one”) with life. Although RB controlled what was happening, they did far too little with the increase in possession. Despite the existing offensive quality, there was a lack of creativity against the well-assorted Scots, the Bundesliga club hardly advanced into the opposing penalty area via the center, Leipzig’s strengths on the wings were rarely used.
Chances like Christopher Nkunku (17th) or Angelino (31st) were rare. Leipzig was very stable in defense. Glasgow, however, largely limited themselves to the defensive and negligently played counterattacks in the kick and rush. Not much happened until the end of the sobering first half.
RB seemed increasingly helpless and sometimes agitated, passes became less precise, body language betrayed the growing frustration.
First whistles after 65 minutes
Leipzig’s inattention continued in the second half – and almost took revenge. Ryan Kent (49th) just missed the goal.
On the other side, Nkunku (53.) failed – a chance as a coincidence. Leipzig came up with little, most of the attacks ended before the last third. The first whistles could be heard after 65 minutes.
Characteristic of a complicated evening was Nkunku’s big chance, who rounded Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor but then missed the empty goal (70th). Tedesco reacted and brought on playmaker Emil Forsberg and attacker Andre Silva for more power. Then came Angelino with a dream goal.