RB Leipzig vs Liverpool Review
Liverpool maintained their perfect start to the UEFA Champions League season with a 1-0 win over RB Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena, marking their eighth victory in their last nine UCL matches against teams from the Bundesliga. The Merseyside club entered the match in high spirits, having achieved their best start to a season since 1990/91, while Leipzig was also feeling positive after an unbeaten run in the Bundesliga.
The home team created the first scoring opportunities, with Benjamin Šeško being denied twice by Caoimhin Kelleher, who also made a great save on Amadou Haidara’s powerful shot. As the half-hour mark approached, Leipzig believed they had taken the lead, but Loïs Openda’s improvised shot from the edge of the box was ruled out for offside by the assistant referee.
The home supporters went through a whirlwind of emotions in just a minute when the Reds took the lead after Darwin Núñez tapped in a header from Mohamed Salah into an empty net, marking Liverpool’s 16th consecutive away goal in UCL matches. Arne Slot’s team came close to scoring twice more before halftime, with headers from Núñez and Virgil van Dijk saved by Péter Gulácsi.
Péter Gulácsi kept Leipzig in the game by stopping a close-range shot from Cody Gakpo and managing to catch Núñez’s shaky attempt, maintaining a one-goal deficit as the match neared its end. After Alexis Mac Allister hit the crossbar from just outside the box, Kelleher was called into action twice in quick succession, first denying Šeško from close range and then skillfully tipping Xavi Simons’ dipping shot over the bar.
Openda believed he had scored an equalizer late in the match, but the assistant referee’s flag dashed the Belgian’s hopes once again. The current leaders of the Premier League managed to secure the win, putting them on equal points with Aston Villa on the UCL standings at this early point in the season. On the other hand, Leipzig has now lost seven out of their last nine head-to-head matches against English teams, marking their third consecutive defeat in the UEFA Champions League, putting their chances of advancing at risk.
