Highlights

Matchday 3

FINAL

Red Bull Arena

It ends all square at the Red Bull Arena, with Leipzig left frustrated in defeat. Openda had their best chance from the penalty spot but was denied by Rønnow and, in truth, Union had the more clear cut chances otherwise and were good value for their point.

Full-time

90'

+ 5

One final chance for Union

They have a corner... but it comes to nothing.

90'

+ 2

Rønnow denies Raum

Union's 'keeper is having a blinder, this time denying Raum's excellent free-kick.

90'

Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes

Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.

David Raum34.74km/h

Ikoma Loïs Openda34.31km/h

Benjamin Henrichs33.67km/h

88'

Leipzig's last hurrah

Poulsen and Bitshiabu come on with just two minutes to play, looking to grab a winner. Moments later, though, it's Union who again go close as desperate Leipzig defending keeps it 0-0.

88'

Substitution

Yussuf Poulsen

Kevin Kampl

88'

Substitution

El Chadaille Bitshiabu

Lutsharel Geertruida

87'

Still goalless, but it probably shouldn't be

xGoals

The xGoals value of a club is calculated from the sum of all goal probabilities (goals and shots on goal) of that team. During a match, it’s easy to see whether the club is performing better than expected (goals > xGoals) - or maybe even higher (xGoals > goals).

xGoals

1.36

0.74

Goals

85'

Yellow card

Danilho Doekhi

84'

Yellow card

Babak Keyhanfar

83'

Big chance!

Leite has a free header from a corner out on the right but can only head over. That should've been 1-0 Union.

81'

Last Union subs

Kemlein and Querfeld come on for the visitors.

81'

Substitution

Leopold Querfeld

Tom Rothe

81'

Substitution

Aljoscha Kemlein

András Schäfer

80'

Another Leipzig change

Possibly the final throw of the dice as Baumgartner comes on for Henrichs.

79'

Substitution

Christoph Baumgartner

Benjamin Henrichs

Missed penalty!

Openda steps up to take the spot kick but it's a tame effort, easily saved by Rønnow. The Leipzig striker didn't look confident when he stepped up, surprising given his early season form.

74'

Penalty missed!

Taker:

Loïs Openda

74'

Yellow card

Kevin Kampl

70'

Third Union change

Union respond to that double switch by replacing Hollerbach with Jeong.

69'

Substitution

Wooyeong Jeong

Benedict Hollerbach

68'

Nusa and Vermeeren on

It's Leipzig's turn to change things, with summer signings Nusa and Vermeeren replacing Šeško and Haidara, respectively. Can they help find a breakthrough?

66'

Substitution

Antonio Nusa

Benjamin Šeško

66'

Substitution

Arthur Vermeeren

Amadou Haidara

62'

Khedira booked

The Union midfielder collects a yellow card for more of a rugby tackle than a football one on Xavi. That's certainly one way to stop him.

61'

Yellow card

Rani Khedira

60'

Great save

Union almost have the lead as Rothe rises brilliantly to head at goal but Gulácsi tips over. The Leipzig 'keeper then denies Leite's header from the resulting corner. Union have started this second half superbly.

59'

Drop off in press

That is a marked difference between the success of Leipzig press in the first half compared to the second. This game has become slow, with Union gradually building more of an attacking threat. The home side look a bit short on ideas.

58'

Ball Recovery Time

Ball Recovery Time gives the time in seconds in which it takes a team to win back the ball following a loss of possession. It also allows conclusions to be drawn about a team's style of play. Only time when the ball is in play is counted (i.e. no breaks in play such as for goal-kicks, throw-ins etc).

RB Leipzig

1st Half

2nd Half

12.5 s

8.4 s

56'

Double change for Union

The visitors blink first, making two changes in attack as Jordan and Vertessen enter the fold.

56'

Substitution

Yorbe Vertessen

László Bénes

56'

Substitution

Jordan

Tim Skarke

55'

Leipzig advantage slipping

67 %

Now

51.4 %

53'

Haidara sees yellow

The referee comes back to book the Leipzig man for a pretty cynical foul as Union were on the break. Advantage was played but it came to nothing.

53'

Yellow card

Amadou Haidara

46'

Back underway

No changes at the break.

Kick-off!

Half-time: Leipzig 0-0 Union

Leipzig have made all the running but Union have kept them at arm's length with a solid defensive performance. Openda threatened early on the break but both attacks have been fairly blunt in that first 45 minutes.

Half-time

38'

Goalmouths are quiet

While Leipzig have bossed possession, neither team has seriously threatened breaking the deadlock so far. It's all a bit passive.

Goal attempts

4off target

1on target

1off target

0on target

30'

Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes

Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.

Ikoma Loïs Openda34.31km/h

David Raum33.09km/h

Xavier Quentin Shay Simons32.15km/h

Battle of the assistants

It's worth noting that neither side has their head coach in the dugout today. Marco Rose is suspended so Alexander Zickler is overseeing things from the touchline for the hosts, while Bo Svensson is ill and replaced by Babak Keyhanfar (pictured) for the day.

27'

Benés in the book

The Union man is slightly late going into the tackle with Kampl and collects a yellow card in the process. It was pretty sloppy stuff from Union that lead to the foul, with Leipzig pressing intensely currently.

26'

Yellow card

László Bénes

20'

Leipzig dominating the ball

Possession (%)

7525

19'

Ball Recovery Time

RBL

FCU

8.5 s

28 s

Openda lets fly...

...but fires wide. The in-form Leipzig man is one-on-one with his marker and manages to create space on his left foot to shoot but is slightly off target. A warning sign for Union, they won't want their defence isolated against a man of Openda's quality too often.

Great day for it in Leipzig

Leipzig on top early on

The home side have settled quickly into this and have had all the ball so far, albeit without creating an early chance in front of goal.

Away we go

We're up and running at the Red Bull Arena...

Kick-off!

More on those teams

Tousart, Vertessen and Jordan all drop to the bench in three changes for Union. Schäfer, Bénes and Skarke all come in. As for Leipzig, Geertruida makes his debut for the club in their only switch from the victory that ended Leverkusen's unbeaten run before the international break.

Leipzig starting XI

Gulácsi (c) - Geertruida, Klostermann, Castello - Henrichs, Haidara, Kampl, Raum - Xavi, Šeško - Openda

Leipzig subs

Vandevoordt, Bitshiabu, Elmas, Seiwald, Baumgartner, Vermeeren, Nusa, Poulsen, Silva

Union starting XI

Rønnow - Doekhi, Vogt, Leite - Haberer, Khedira (c), Schäfer, Bénes, Rothe - Skarke, Hollerbach

Union subs

Schwolow, Querfeld, Trimmel, Jeong, Skov, Tousart, Kemlein, Vertessen, Jordan

Both sides aiming to go top

The hosts are one of two teams, alongside Bayern Munich, with a perfect record and victory would send Leipzig top at least until Bayern's meeting with Kiel later on. As for Union, a convincing win would also take them above Dortmund on goal difference.

Rose on facing Union

"From what we've experienced against Mainz, a Bo Svensson team is very well organized. You have to really earn every space and shot on goal. We have to keep an eye out for quick game transitions and set pieces. They play a brave brand of football. Union Berlin were well acquainted with a three-men defence, which is well drilled and adds stability. We need a good presence, we have to outplay every rival and try to ride the wave of what we've achieved in the past three games in a row."

No Marco

Marco Rose will definitely not be on the Leipzig bench, as the coach was shown a red card in their win in Leverkusen. He will have to watch the tie from the stands as part of his suspension.

Keyhanfar on facing RB Leipzig

In Svensson's absence, the assistant coach (pictured right) said: "They are a team brimming with self-confidence and are unbeaten in 15 matches. They have great quality in depth and top individuals. It's a great challenge to take on such a top team."

No Bo?

Assistant coach Babak Keyhanfar took on press duties on Thursday with Bo Svensson ill, but said "we are all hoping he is fit again in time for the match."

Šeško time?

He has yet to get off the mark with a goal in the Bundesliga this term but of his 14 top-flight goals in 2023/24, three came in Leipzig's two wins against Union. The capital club have been warned.

Ton-up Bo

Bo Svensson is about to oversee his 100th Bundesliga game as a coach. Enjoying a victory with Union on Matchday 2 finally brought to an end a run of 15 winless Bundesliga games for the ex-Mainz tactician.