RB Leipzig held to goalless draw by Wolfsburg
Second-placed RB Leipzig were stopped from scoring for just the third time in the Bundesliga this season as they shared a first-ever goalless draw with Wolfsburg on Saturday.
With Timo Werner on the bench for Leipzig, the away side were slow to get going in the first half. The same could not be said for their hosts, who registered six attempts on goal in the opening 15 minutes. Julian Nagelsmann's side were controlling most of the possession and eventually earned the first big chance of the game when Angelino was found in the box by Patrik Schick, but a shot from his weaker right foot was off target. The game opened up from that point with Angelino once again in action, this time at the other end to clear off his own goal-line from a Renato Steffen cross. Admir Mehmedi headed just over the Leipzig goal before the break but neither side could break the deadlock.
Leipzig flew out of the blocks in the second half - Yussuf Poulsen dragged a shot wide from inside the box, before Marcel Sabitzer forced a big save from Koen Casteels with a left-footed shot from the edge of the Wolfsburg penalty area. Leipzig remained dominant and Werner was brought on with half an hour to play, but the Germany striker could do nothing to help his side snatch all three points as Wolfsburg continued to frustrate their visitors. It finished in a stalemate, with the Wolves becoming just the third club to keep Leipzig from scoring in the Bundesliga this season. Both sides now switch their focus to European action next week.
Match stats
- Leipzig are now unbeaten in their last five competitive meetings with Wolfsburg (W3 D2) and have never conceded more than once in their five visits to the Volkswagen Arena.
- Wolfsburg became just the third side to stop Leipzig scoring in the Bundesliga this season, after Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt.
- In this 12th competitive meeting between the two sides, they shared a goalless draw for the first time.
- Both goalkeepers – Koen Casteels and Peter Gulacsi – saved all five of the shots on target that they faced.
- Leipzig are just two points behind Bayern Munich at the top of the table with the league leaders still to play this weekend.
Watch: Angelino: "We need to do better against Tottenham"
Line-ups
Wolfsburg: Casteels (c) - Steffen (Roussillon 84'), Knoche, Brooks, Otavio - Gerhardt, Schlager, Arnold – Brekalo (Klaus 77'), Mehmedi (Victor 64') - Weghorst
Unused subs: Pervan, Pongracic, Tisserand, Ginczek, Azzaoui, May
Out: Camacho (ankle), Guilavogui (knee), Mbabu (thigh), William (knee)
Coach: Oliver Glasner
Leipzig: Gulacsi - Klostermann, Upamecano, Halstenberg - Nkunku, Sabitzer (c), Laimer, Angelino (Lookman 81') – Forsberg (Olmo 60') - Schick, Poulsen (Werner 60')
Unused subs: Mvogo, Haidara, Adams, Wolf, Mukiele
Out: Ampadu (back), Kampl (ankle), Konate (hamstring), Orban (knee)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Watch: Nagelsmann: "It's going to be difficult to catch Bayern"
Related news
Fantasy gems for Matchday 15
Make the most of your five weekly transfers to maximise your points this weekend...
Musiala: "I've gone up a level"
The Bayern star spoke to bundesliga.com about his development this season and the team's objectives for the rest of the campaign.
Florian Wirtz: The return of the No.10
bundesliga.com puts the unplayable Leverkusen and Germany star under the tactical microscope...