bundesliga

Eintracht Frankfurt dent RB Leipzig's title challenge with draw

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Daichi Kamada cancelled out Emil Forsberg's opener as top-four hopefuls Eintracht Frankfurt held title-chasing RB Leipzig to a 1-1 draw.

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RB Leipzig 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Goals: 1-0 Forsberg (46'), 1-1 Kamada (61')

Although both sit in the top four, 10 points separated the two sides coming into this weekend, and it was second-placed Leipzig who made the more encouraging start. Captain Marcel Sabitzer stung the hands of Kevin Trapp before the Frankfurt goalkeeper denied Justin Kluivert one-on-one all inside the opening 10 minutes. The home side had the ball in the back of the net when Willi Orban tucked home Forsberg's parried shot, but the defender had strayed offside before the original effort. It was a strong performance by Die Roten Bullen, but was dampened when influential defender Dayot Upamecano had to hobble off midway through the half with a thigh injury. Frankfurt finally managed an effort on goal with five minutes remaining in the half, but Kamada's shot was wild and well wide.

However, it took Leipzig less than a minute of the second half to make the breakthrough. Kluivert's swerving effort was too much for Trapp to handle and Forsberg was the quickest to react to fire the rebound past the Eintracht No.1. The Swede then turned provider with a teasing cross for Yussuf Poulsen, which the big Dane powered towards goal with his head but just over the crossbar. The lead was a slender one, though. First Peter Gulacsi had to react well to turn a deft flick from Amin Younes over the bar, but he was unable to prevent Kamada's equaliser when he reacted quickest to steer home Andre Silva's deflected cross. Leipzig then pushed for a potential winner. Forsberg fired wide, while Poulsen, Alexander Sörloth and substitute Christopher Nkunku were all denied by a resilient Trapp, before Luka Jovic hit the side netting at the other end, as Frankfurt consolidated fourth place - two points ahead of Borussia Dortmund. Leipzig slipped to four points behind leaders Bayern Munich ahead of their meeting in two matchdays.

Match stats

  • Forsberg brought up his sixth goal of the season, surpassing his total from 2019/20. He’s only got more in his maiden Bundesliga campaign, scoring eight in 2016/17.
  • Kamada's fourth of the season doubles his Bundesliga total from last year. It was his first of this campaign away from home.
  • Frankfurt have now scored in 20 straight league games. It's the club's best run since going 21 matches in 1992.
  • Leipzig have gone four competitive matches without a win against Frankfurt (D2, L2), while it's only one win in seven since Adi Hütter took over at Eintracht (D4, L2).
  • Ten of the last 12 goals in competitive fixtures between these sides have come in the second half.
  • Leipzig have never won a game on Matchday 25 in the Bundesliga. Their last league victory on that matchday was in Bundesliga 2 against Fortuna Düsseldorf in 2014/15.

Watch: Nagelsmann: "We'll see what happens"

Line-ups

Leipzig: Gulacsi - Mukiele, Upamecano (Klostermann 28’), Orban, Halstenberg - Sabitzer (c), Haidara (Adams 85') - Forsberg (Hwang 85') - Sörloth, Poulsen (Nkunku 75‘), Kluivert (Olmo 75‘)
Unused subs: Martinez, Konate, Henrichs, Kampl
Out: Angelino (muscular), Laimer (knee), Szoboszlai (groin)
Coach:
 Julian Nagelsmann

Frankfurt: Trapp - Tuta, Ilsanker, N'Dicka - Kamada (Ache 81’), Sow, Rode, Hasebe (c), Kostic - Younes (Barkok 72’) - Silva (Jovic 72’)
Unused subs: Schubert, Hrustic, Zuber, Chandler, Willems
Out: Durm (hip), Hinteregger (thigh), Toure (pelvis)
Coach: Adi Hütter