Highlights
D. Schlager
0:28
Watch: Marco Rose offers Leipzig praise
Game over
© Getty
Full-time
90'
+ 3
Union's broken resolve
The hosts are headed for their first Bundesliga home defeat in over one-and-a-half years. The Irons last lost at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei in Germany's top flight on February 13, 2022, against Borussia Dortmund.
88'
Substitution
88'
Substitution
87'
RBL's fantasy football
Leipzig are a delight to watch now. Sesko and Olmo combine superbly, the latter chipping a fine pass in for his teammate, who heads in his second of the game.
86'
Leipzig home free
A devastating counter attack from Leipzig sees the brilliant Xavi going for the more complicated through pass that finds Sesko. The new Leipzig man takes his time before applying a tidy finish in off the far post.
86'
Substitution
86'
Substitution
83'
Rönnow busy
Benjamin Henrichs gets his head down and thumps a shot at goal from distance. Rönnow gets two strong hands behind that effort.
82'
Double booking
Gosens is late on Orban and the Union player goes into the book. Haberer protests and also sees yellow.
Leipzig edging closer
© Imago
76'
Olmo magic
Dani Olmo has space on the edge of the area and the Spain international curls a shot high at goal. Rönnow palms over. Good save.
75'
Leipzig mix things up
Marco Rose has sent Benjamin Sesko and Christoph Baumgartner into the game as the visitors look to see this one out.
75'
Substitution
75'
Substitution
74'
Goal attempts
3off target
1on target
5off target
3on target
71'
Union changes
Double swap by Urs Fischer with Trimmel and Haberer now in the mix.
71'
Substitution
71'
Substitution
69'
Hope for hosts
Despite that setback, Union can take heart from the fact that they were a man down last week at Darmstadt and still managed to score three goals after losing a man.
68'
Simakan coming off
That tackle from Volland on Simakan that led to the former's sending off has had further consequences. Simakan, the man on the end of the foul, has limped out of the contest.
68'
Volland's second red
That's the second time Kevin Volland - who was playing in his 250th Bundesliga game today - was sent off in the German top flight. In October 2016, Union's new signing was ordered off against Hoffenheim while playing for Bayer Leverkusen.
67'
Substitution
65'
Volland sent off
Volland rakes his studs down the leg of Simakan and the Leipzig defender collapses in pain. A few moments pass before Volland is shown a straight red card. No arguing with that.
62'
Union change
Urs Fischer makes a switch, throwing Benedict Hollerbach on for his Bundesliga debut. David Datro Fofana makes way.
61'
Substitution
60'
Xavi takes a knock
Xavi Simons is down receiving treatment at the moment. The goalscorer suffered an injury while challenging for a 50/50 ball with Kral. The Leipzig man should be able to continue.
55'
Union's unwanted first
This is the first time Union have been behind in a Bundesliga game this season.
54'
Kampl has a pop
Kampl this time with a shot that pings wide of the upright. This game is breathless at the moment.
52'
Fofana looks to strike back
The Union man places the ball and wants to have a go from the free kick. He tries one but doesn't quite connect as he would have wished and the ball flies away from the target.
51'
What. A. Goal!
Leipzig lead and it's a beauty! Henrichs tees up Xavi who shapes to shoot from inside the D. The midfielder's shot is high and hits the net in spectacular fashion. It's a second goal of the season for Xavi Simons!
46'
Game back on
Away we go in the second half. Will we see a breakthrough in this 45 minutes?
Kick-off!
46'
Half time
A tough tactical battle ends scoreless at the break.
Half-time
45'
+ 1
Handy for Rönnow
Raum's set piece reaches Simakan at the far post. His header is easily dealt with by Rönnow.
43'
Shots
1
1
Kevin Volland Loïs Openda
41'
Openda off target
Openda latches onto the through pass and lifts a shot over the advancing Rönnow. The ball bounces wide. Openda was offside in any case.
Tough-tackling
© Imago
31'
Schlager batters one
The ball is teed up for Schlager who wallops a shot from distance at goal. His effort swerves away from the target. Plenty of power, but the aim was slightly off from the Leipzig man.
27'
Kral warned
The Union midfielder is the next man into the referee's notebook for a foul on Xavi, who was in full flight when the hosts' No. 33 came knocking.
26'
Henrichs booked
Gosens is flatted by Henrichs out on the touchline. That's a booking for the Leipzig man.
24'
Fans in full voice
The home supporters have sounded insanely good and they're getting right behind their team here. On the first two Matchdays, Union scored in the first and fourth minutes respectively, but the Irons are having to be a touch more patient today.
24'
Goal attempts
0off target
1on target
2off target
1on target
22'
Raum set-piece
David Raum's corner from the right has incredible swerve but the ball spins just out of the reach of Leipzig's awaiting players. Any touch on that and it was in.
Still scoreless
© Getty
18'
Agile Rönnow
Xavi puts his foot through the ball from a central position. That's flying towards the target, meaning Frederik Rönnow
needs to get a hand on it. The subsequent corner comes to nothing.
15'
Leipzig in possession
Possession (%)
4060
14'
Poulsen shot
Here come Leipzig. Xavi Simons plays a neat pass to Poulsen whose effort from outside the area is off target. Cracking game, this.
12'
Big chance Union
Super work from Kral who makes his way down the right before sending a pass to the near post. Volland rises and heads goalwards. Blaswich dives and pushes that away two handed.
9'
Openda menacing
A tasty, flighted delivery from Leipzig's midfield magician Dani Olmo just goes beyond Lois Openda. Union's fans breathe a sigh of relief.
6'
Nervy Blaswich
Man in form Kevin Behrens was an inch away from catching Janis Blaswich in possession. The goalkeeper just managed to get his kick-out away as the four-goals-in-two-games man slid in.
4'
End-to-end
Straight back up the other end and Volland - making his first start for Union - powers an arcing pass into the area. There's nobody there for the hosts. Energetic start to this game.
3'
Nothing to see
Fofana sends one into the mixer and Raum goes down with Volland in the vicinity. Play on says the ref. Nothing doing
2'
Fofana over exerts
A slightly over-enthusiastic Fofana drags back Schlager and we have the game's first free kick.
1'
Peeep!
Union get us underway.
Kick-off!
Teams out!
Both sets of players are going through their pre-match handshakes and we're now just moments from kick-off. Peak excitement!
Red and White delight
The Stadion An der Alten Försterei is bouncing as we await the appearance of both teams. We're about to hear the Union anthem with the home supporters clearing their throats ...
Fischer's RBL praise
© Imago
Rose wary
Coach Marco Rose highlighted the dangers his team are likely to face against Union today, the tactician saying: "[Union] are very good at crossing and dangerous in the air. It’s definitely something for us to focus on. They play with three at the back and two strong strikers, who inject a lot of pace into the game and are a constant handful in the box."
Union team news
© Getty
Leipzig team news
© Imago
Union starting XI
Ronnow - Doekhi, Knoche (c), Leite - Juranovic, Laidouni, Kral, Gosens - Fofana, Behrens, Volland
Union subs
Schwolow, Roussillon, Bonucci, Jaeckel, Trimmel, Kemlein, Haberer, Hollerbach, Kaufmann
Leipzig starting XI
Blaswich - Henrichs, Simakan, Orban (c), Raum - Schlager, Kampl - Simons, Olmo - Openda, Poulsen
Leipzig subs
Zingerle, Klostermann, Lukeba, Seiwald, Baumgartner, Carvalho, Forsberg, Werner, Sesko
Atmosphere building
Fans are gathering around the Stadion An der Alten Försterei as today's big game edges closer. It's around 21 degrees Celsius in the German capital and slightly overcast right now. All in all, we've got the perfect conditions for an exciting game between two high-scoring sides.
Blaswich extends
It's been quite a year for Leipzig goalkeeper Janis Blaswich since he stepped in for injured club captain Peter Gulacsi. Featuring in 40 competitive games for Die Roten Bullen since, Blaswich has won DFB Cup and Supercup honours and he recently penned a one-year contract extension with the Saxony-based side. "I'm delighted," the goalkeeper said after penning a new deal that runs to 2026.
Where will Big, Bad Bonucci fit in?
© DFL
Xavi and Openda on fire
© Getty Images
A big game ahead!
Matchday 3 has a cracker of a closing fixture in the capital. Union can move top if they win by a big enough margin, while Leipzig would pull level with their hosts on six points with victory. Kick-off is at 5.30pm CEST, with teams news dropping an hour before that, so set your alarms now and click on the alerts for this fixture in the app to get that news first.
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0:50
Watch: Union on point
Probable line-ups
© Imago
Behrens bringing it
Along with being the Bundesliga's top scorer with four goals going into Matchday 3, Union forward Kevin Behrens has always been on the winning side against Leipzig (four games, fours wins, one goal scored).
Deadly Dani Olmo
© Imago
Leipzig's bogey side?
Incredibly, Union have won their last five Bundesliga games against Leipzig all by the same scoreline: 2-1. Such a sequence of results by the same final score is unprecedented in Germany's top flight.
2:03
Unstoppable Union
Top scorers
Going into Matchday 3, only Union had scored more goals [8] than Leipzig and Bayern Munich [both 7].
2:03
Leipzig have lift off
Here we go!
Settle in, for Sunday's final Bundesliga game is set to be a barnstormer. Union against Leipzig in a battle of the Champions League contenders that looks to have it all. Who fancies predicting the outcome of this one?