RB Leipzig started the group stage of the Champions League with a 1-3 victory over Young Boys. The German top club quickly took the lead through Mohamed Simakan, after which the Swiss leveled. Thanks to Xaver Schlager and substitute Benjamin Sesko, Leipzig still came out on top in the second half. The other group members, Manchester City and Red Star Belgrade, will play their opening match at 9:00 PM.
Leipzig had to play against Young Boys without Dani Olmo, who is out for the rest of the calendar year due to a muscle injury. Xavi Simons and Loïs Openda, on the other hand, could count on a starting place. The former trendsetters of PSV and Vitesse have both had an excellent start to the season and saw how teammate Simakan those Roten Bullen also made an excellent start in Switzerland. The central defender headed David Raum’s corner kick against the ropes at the near post: 0-1.
????????? ??????????????!? ????? Xavi Simons is knocked down but does not receive a penalty… ?? What do you think? ???#ZiggoSport #UCL #YBRBL pic.twitter.com/qwhWRkArXx
— Ziggo Sport Voetbal (@ZS_Voetbal) September 19, 2023
Leipzig won their last competition matches convincingly against Augsburg (3-0), 1. FC Union Berlin (0-3) and VfB Stuttgart (5-1). The quick opening goal against Young Boys seemed to be a harbinger of another big victory, but the home team managed to level the score again after more than half an hour. Meschack Elia got the ball at his feet on the edge of sixteen, didn’t think about it and finished with a hard shot: 1-1.
The visitors went on the hunt for a new lead after the break. Referee Enea Jorgji was called to the VAR screen a few minutes later after Swiss goalkeeper Anthony Racioppi made an alleged foul on Simons. The Albanian referee ultimately stuck to his position not to award a penalty. Benjamin Sesko then thought he would give Leipzig the lead from a free kick by Simons. The substitute could not celebrate for long, as his goal was soon canceled due to offside.
The deserved victory for coach Marco Rose’s team came in the final phase when Schlager was able to successfully score from a distance: 2-1. In injury time, Sesko also managed to shoot himself onto the scoreboard. Leipzig countered quickly from their own penalty area. Benjamin Henrichs passed to the Slovenian striker, who then had the choice of the corner.
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Lashing out… ????????! ??
Schlager blasts RB Leipzig to a 2-1 lead! ???#ZiggoSport #UCL #YBRBL pic.twitter.com/TIXCKeqzYl— Ziggo Sport Voetbal (@ZS_Voetbal) September 19, 2023