RB Leipzig 1-1 Paderborn: Relegation strugglers cause late shock

This afternoon we once again came to learn the lesson that football has been trying to teach us for years now – you can never count out the underdog. RB Leipzig were tipped as the runaway favourites to beat Paderborn and continue their march towards the UEFA Champions League, but instead, they were pegged back late in the game as the visitors gave themselves a glimmer of hope that they can complete the great escape.

One step beyond

Following some early nerves it seemed as if Leipzig were starting to settle into the game around 20-25 minutes into proceedings, and they made their growing pressure count as Patrik Schick put them into the lead in the 27th minute.

Unfortunately, they were unable to see out the half with 11 men as Dayot Upamecano was given a second yellow card for kicking the ball away. While the popular opinion may be to suggest that it was a silly reason to give a yellow card, a player like Upamecano, who has a lot of eyes on him right now, should know better.

They couldn’t, could they?

Paderborn slowly but surely grew into the game from that point on, with Leipzig really hanging on at certain points. Late in the game it felt like they were starting to ride it out and even threatened to counter for a second goal, and with a few minutes remaining, that so nearly happened when Timo Werner rounded the onrushing goalkeeper – only to put his effort wide of the post.

That proved to be incredibly costly as Christian Strohdiek scored a dramatic late equaliser to not only give Paderborn a point, but to seriously damage the confidence of a Leipzig side that held on for half the game with ten men. The hosts will now turn their attention towards two more big games in quick succession against Hoffenheim and Dusseldorf, whereas Paderborn will attempt to prove that they’re deadly serious about staying in the Bundesliga this season with a home game against Werder Bremen next Saturday and a visit to take on Union Berlin on Tuesday 16th.

Match Report

RB Leipzig: Gulacsi (7), Angelino (6.5), Upamecano (4), Klostermann (6.5), Mukiele (7.5), Kampl (7), Adams (7), Nkunku (6.5), Olmo (7), Schick (7.5), Werner (7.5), Haidara (6), Orban (6), Halstenberg (6.5), Laimer (6)

Paderborn: Zingerle (7), Jans (6.5), Strohdiek (7.5), Hunemeier (6.5), Collins (6.5), Vasiliadis (7), Gjasula (6.5), Proger (7), Srbeny (6), Antwi-Adjei (6.5), Mamba (6), Evans (6.5), Sabiri (6.5), Zolinski (6), Michel (6.5), Ritter (6.5)

Referee: Deniz Aytekin

Goals: Schick, Strohdiek

Yellow Cards: Upamecano x2, Mamba, Gjasula, Strohdiek, Hunemeier

Red Cards: Upamecano