Highlights
F. Willenborg
0:21
WATCH: NAGELSMANN: “WE HAVE TO WIN AGAINST BAYERN”
0:13
WATCH: FORSBERG LOOKS AHEAD TO MATCHDAY 27 CLASH WITH BAYERN MUNICH
90'
+ 4
CRUCIAL WIN FOR LEIPZIG
After dropping points in the title race in their 1-1 draw with Frankfurt last week, Leipzig return to winning ways here with a full deserved win. Bielefeld battled hard and had one or two half-chances, but the visitors were simply too good on the day.
Full-time
90'
NICE FROM HENRICHS
Henrichs with a neat step-over on the left before curling a teasing cross into the middle. It's just a bit too strong for Hwang and Poulsen though, and bounces out on the other side of the box.
88'
EXTRA MAN AT THE BACK
Nagelsmann reacts to Bielefeld's changes, and Kampl's card, by bringing on an extra defender in Mukiele to help see the result to the finish line.
87'
BIELFELD GOING FOR IT!
A triple substitution in the closing minutes and it seems like the hosts are going to throw caution to the wind now as they seek a leveller.
87'
Substitution
86'
KAMPL TO MISS NEXT MATCH
It may seem like a fairly meaningless tackle in the centre circle, but Kampl's fifth booking of the season means he'll be absent for the top-of-the-table clash against Bayern on Matchday 27 after the international break.
86'
Substitution
86'
Substitution
86'
Substitution
84'
LAST THROW OF THE DICE?
Voglsammer comes on for the last few minutes in place of Okugawa. Bielefeld have been outplayed by a superior side, but could still snatch a point here.
84'
Substitution
79'
BRILLIANT FROM ORTEGA!
Nkunku jinks passed two Bielefeld defenders and into the right-hand side of the box before smashing a shot at goal. It's going in, low into the far corner, but Ortega reacts superbly to paw it wide of the post.
78'
DOUBLE CHANGE
Two more subs from Leipzig, as Poulsen comes on for Olmo, while Henrichs is on for Haidara, who has been struggling a bit since coming off worse in an aerial tussle with Klos a few minutes ago.
78'
Substitution
77'
Substitution
77'
HWANG GOES CLOSE!
The substitute times his run brilliantly to collect a long ball forward and gets a shot away, but Nilsson just does enough to recover and get in the block.
76'
14... AND COUNTING
Goal attempts
5off target
0on target
7off target
7on target
74'
KAMPL SKEWS WIDE!
Nkunku lays the ball off invitingly for Kampl on the edge of the Bielefeld box. He goes for placement over power, but gets his angles all wrong and slices his side-footed shot well wide.
72'
PROMISING POSITION
Pieper is booked for bringing down Hwang, who had skipped past him and was looking to break forward. Leipzig now have a free-kick 35 yards from goal, slightly right of centre. Nkunku delivers it, aiming for Orban, but the delivery is just too strong for him to reach.
69'
FIRST CHANGES
Both teams make a substitution. Cordova comes on for Vlap for the hosts as they try to find an equaliser, while South Korean forward replaces Forsberg up top for Leipzig.
69'
Substitution
69'
Substitution
64'
HAIDARA JUST WIDE!
Olmo lays the ball off to Haidara on the edge of the Bielefeld area and the midfielder immediately gets a shot away. It's heading goalwards, but deflects off a defender's back and goes narrowly wide of the target.
63'
KEEP BALL
The visitors are holding on to the ball in midfield now, making Bielefeld chase the game and expend their energy with roughly 30 minutes still to play. You get the sense there are more goals still in this.
59'
BIG DIFFERENCE
56'
BIELEFELD'S BEST CHANCE!
Sabitzer slips while in possession in midfield and Vlap pounces instantly, robbing him of the ball and striding forward on the break. He gets to the edge of the Leipzig penalty area and slots it to his left to the unmarked Klos. The striker shoots first time, aiming to curl it into the top corner, but he leans back a bit too much and his shot goes well over the bar.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
© Lars Baron/Getty Images
52'
WHAT NOW FOR BIELEFELD?
The hosts are going to have to become a bit more adventurous now if they're to get anything from the game - but that will play right into Leipzig's hands as one of the best counter-attacking teams in the business.
48'
DEADLOCK BROKEN!
Leipzig finally get their reward! Nkunku slips a pass into Olmo's path on the right and the Spaniard squares it across the box to Sabitzer for a simple tap-in!
Kick-off!
EVEN STEVENS
© Lars Baron/Getty Images
Half-time
43'
NKUNKU HITS THE BAR!
Adams plays a delightful first-time pass into Nkunku's path. It's superbly disguised and catches the home defence off guard. Nkunku shoots first time from the right-hand corner of the six-yard box but his fierce strike is tipped on to the crossbar by Ortega!
41'
DOAN AT THE BACK POST!
Lucoqui stands up a cross from the left to the back post. It comes to Doan, who takes it on the volley. It's goal-bound, but strikes Sabitzer on the way and is deflected wide for a corner.
YOU SHALL NOT PASS
© Lars Baron/Getty Images
34'
DEFENDING WELL
While Leipzig are clearly on top and dominating in terms of possession and territory, Bielefeld have kept their defensive shape well. Most of the visitors' efforts on goal have been from outside of the box, and anything on target has been well saved by Ortega.
31'
OVER FROM HALSTENBERG!
Sabitzer floats a looping cross from the left to the back post, where Halstenberg is arriving. It's just a touch behind him though, and the defender can only direct his header over the bar.
29'
ONE-WAY TRAFFIC
Goal attempts
3off target
0on target
4off target
4on target
26'
KLOS OFF TARGET
Bielefeld are starting to grow into the game a bit more, even if Leipzig remain the dominant side. Klos shoots low with his left foot from the edge of the box but he drags it wide.
24'
NKUNKU HAS A GO
The French midfielder is the next player to shoot from range, following a couple of similar attempts from Forsberg. He catches it well but the ball is blocked by a defender before it reaches Ortega's goal.
20'
OVER FROM BRUNNER
Brunner gets a brief glimpse of goal just outside the Leipzig penalty area and tries to get a shot away. He slices it under pressure from a defender and it sails well wide of the target.
OLMO ACTIVE
© Roger Petzsche via www.imago-images.de/imago images/Picture Point LE
18'
FIRST SIGN OF DANGER
Doan intercepts an attempted pass out from the back by Gulacsi and immediately crosses into the middle. Bielefeld can't take advantage of the slip-up though, as Leipzig's players soon flood the box and are able to restore order.
16'
SABITZER FROM RANGE
The Leipzig captain tries his luck from distance now, but again it's too central to cause Ortega problems and the goalkeeper collects comfortably.
14'
HAIDARA FROM DISTANCE!
The Leipzig midfielder tries a different approach, unleashing a swerving drive at goal from about 25 yards out. Ortega watches it all the way, though, and makes a good save.
13'
FORSBERG GOES CLOSE!
The visitors slice through the Bielefeld defence for the second time this game, and again it's a pass into Forsberg on the inside left channel. He gets a shot away but it's too close to Ortega, who parries it clear.
10'
NEW FORMATION?
It’s almost a 3-2-5 formation from Leipzig here in these early stages, with Kampl and Adams in defensive midfield, although the latter is drifting wide to the right wing when Nagelsmann’s side are in possession. Sabitzer, Haidara, Olmo, Nkunku and Forsberg are occupying the more attacking positions, switching roles frequently.
7'
HALSTENBERG OFF TARGET
The Leipzig defender is invited to shoot when he receives the ball in space, about 30 yards from goal. He takes a touch to set himself, but his effort is high, wide and not particularly pretty.
5'
OVER FROM OLMO!
The first real opening of the game as Haidara slips a lovely ball into Forsberg's run into the channel down the left. It eventually comes to Nkunku on the right-hand edge of the box and he clips a pass in to Olmo, who shoots on the turn but can only fire it over under pressure.
3'
LEIPZIG ON THE BALL
The visitors have had more possession in these opening couple of minutes, but they've been forced to keep it in their own half or in midfield as the home side have started very aggressively, pushing high up and in numbers.
1'
AND WE’RE OFF!
Leipzig get the ball rolling on the Matchday 26 action!
Kick-off!
FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER
No team in Bundesliga history has a better record on a Friday night than Leipzig. They are yet to lose any of their 11 games, winning nine and drawing two. Their only other Friday fixture of the season was a 2-1 win over Augsburg on Matchday 21. Bielefeld lost their previous Friday game 3-0 at home to Wolfsburg. RB have also never lost against a promoted team in the Bundesliga (W15, D3), including the reverse fixture.
2:03
WATCH: LEIPZIG 2-1 BIELEFELD - REVERSE FIXTURE
0:07
WATCH: INSIDE THE LEIPZIG CHANGING ROOM
WHAT’S AT STAKE FOR LEIPZIG?
Die Roten Bullen were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Frankfurt, ending their six-match winning run and also allowing Bayern to extend their advantage at the top to four points. Nagelsmann’s side know they have no room for another slip here ahead of hosting the champions in the first game after the international break. They’ve won their last three away games by a 3-0 scoreline, but have never managed four straight victories away from home without conceding…
WHAT’S AT STAKE FOR BIELEFELD?
Last week’s win in Leverkusen was huge for the promoted side. It was their first under coach Frank Kramer, their first of the Rückrunde, first this season against a team in the top third of the table, and only their second away from home (previously a 1-0 win at Schalke). The three points also saw them move out of the bottom three for the first time since Matchday 18, but they’re only a point ahead of Hertha in the play-off spot and Mainz in the automatic drop zone.
0:07
WATCH: CALM BEFORE THE BIELEFELD STORM
LEIPZIG XI
As for Leipzig, Julian Nagelsmann makes five changes from their 1-1 draw with Frankfurt. Lukas Klostermann, Tyler Adams, Dani Olmo, Kevin Kampl and Christopher Nkunku come in for Nordi Mukiele, the injured Dayot Upamecano, Justin Kluivert, Yussuf Poulsen and Alexander Sörloth as RB go without a recognised centre-forward again. It’s also Klostermann’s 100th Bundesliga appearance.
BIELEFELD TEAM NEWS
Rather unsurprisingly after beating Leverkusen 2-1 last weekend, Frank Kramer makes only one change to his Bielefeld team as Michel Vlap comes in for Christian Gebauer. Japanese goalscoring duo Ritsu Doan and Masaya Okugawa are again ready to pose a threat.
LEIPZIG SUBS
Martinez, Konate, Poulsen, Hwang, Sorloth, Samardzic, Kluivert, Mukiele, Henrichs
LEIPZIG XI
Gulacsi - Klostermann, Orban, Halstenberg - Adams, Sabitzer (c), Kampl, Haidara - Nkunku, Olmo - Forsberg
BIELEFELD SUBS
Linner, Laursen, van der Hoorn, Gebauer, Kunze, Hartel, Cordova, Voglsammer, Schipplock
BIELEFELD XI
Ortega - Brunner, Pieper, Nilsson, Lucoqui - Maier, Prietl - Doan, Okuwaga, Vlap - Klos (c)
Welcome!
Here you will find the most important information on the game between DSC Arminia Bielefeld and RB Leipzig on Matchday 26 of the 2020/21 Bundesliga season.