Thanks to a furious second half, RB Leipzig impressively averted an impending false start in the Bundesliga and scored the first points of the young season. The Saxons got into a frenzy on Friday at the start of the second matchday after the break and won 5-1 (0-1) against VfB Stuttgart after falling behind.
Benjamin Henrichs (52′), who benefited from a serious mistake by VfB keeper Alexander Nübel, Dani Olmo (63′), record-breaking Lois Openda (66′), Kevin Kampl (74′) and Xavi Simons (76′) scored Coach Marco Rose’s team to success.
“Brutal game, brutal evening. We do well in the first half. After the break, there’s unrest and then the bitter goal conceded. Then we seem unsure. In the end it’s very bitter, it hurts,” said Nübel at ” DAZN”.
It was the sixth home win in the sixth home game against the defeated VfB, who are three points ahead of their target but lost their lead on goal difference. Serhou Guirassy (35th) had given the Swabians the lead.
“It’s important at the beginning of the season that you write in the table, that you get points, that you get confidence, that you get into the flow,” said RB coach Marco Rose – and he gave up for this project his starting XI to the weak national striker Timo Werner. Yussuf Poulsen joined the team.
Leipzig immediately tried to control the game and pressed Stuttgart early on. VfB were compact and kept attacking with pinpricks. Openda had the first Leipzig degree, who shot just wide of the goal from 20 meters (28th).
Stuttgart keeper Nübel becomes a tragic figure
RB was now more powerful, a direct acceptance by Xaver Schlager flew over the goal (32nd). VfB, who also had to let defensive boss Konstantin Mavropanos go during the week after captain Wataru Endo, did not hide – and took the lead after a Leipzig mistake: David Raum made a fatal bad pass in his own penalty area, Guirassy pushed after a pass from Atakan Karazor ice cold on. Leipzig tried to answer, but Openda failed in a one-on-one against Nübel (45th).
Leipzig were dissatisfied with referee Frank Willenborg, who whistled many close decisions against the hosts – Rose raged at half-time and saw a yellow card.
Rose’s team also came out of the break with anger in their stomachs, captain Willi Orban failed with a header at the sensationally reacting Nübel (47th) – before the VfB keeper became a tragic figure a little later. The 26-year-old shot Henrichs so unluckily that the ball flew into the goal. The keeper was lucky a little later when Openda was ruled offside after another blunder to make it 2-1 (53′). But Leipzig then played themselves into a frenzy – and when Olmo, Openda, Kampl and Simons scored, Nübel then had no chance of defending themselves.