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Three important points!
Die Roten Bullen made a strong start at the Red Bull Arena against newly promoted 1. FC Heidenheim, with both Yussuf Poulsen and Loïs Openda testing Heidenheim goalkeeper Kevin Müller inside five minutes.
The deadlock was finally broken after 29 minutes. The referee pointed to the penalty spot after Openda was caught in the box, and the Belgian stepped up himself to put RBL 1-0 ahead. The lead was doubled shortly before the break by Poulsen after great work fown the left from David Raum (44′), but FCH managed to reduce the deficit on the stroke of half time with Benedikt Gimber‘s finish following a corner (45+2’).
The second half started much like the first, with Leipzig in the ascendancy and looking to extend their lead, while Heidenheim waited for chances to counter. Xaver Schlager and Poulsen each found an opening, but failed to hit the target. The best chance fell to the in-form Openda, who drove into the box and fired a powerful shot against the post. With just one goal still the difference, the visitors remained in with a chance right until the end, but some resolute defending from RBL ensured they claimed all three points.
It means that Leipzig are still unbeaten against newly-promoted teams after 30 competitive meetings.
Bundesliga | RB Leipzig vs. 1. FC Heidenheim
LINE-UPS
RBL:
Blaswich – Henrichs, Klostermann, Simakan, Raum (90+2′ Lenz) – Haidara, Schlager – Baumgartner (89′ Castello Jr.), Xavi (78′ Forsberg), Openda, Poulsen (C) (78′ Šeško)
FCH:
Müller – Schöppner (86′ Thomalla), Gimber, Mainka, Kleindienst, Pieringer (74′ Dovedan), Föhrenbach, Traoré, Theuerkauf (68′ Sessa), Maloney (68′ Beck), Beste (86′ Schimmer)
Unused subs RBL: Gulácsi, Seiwald, Moriba, Carvalho, Kampl
Unused subs FCH: Eicher, Busch, Siersleben, Pick
GOALS
1-0 Openda (29′, pen.), 2-0 Poulsen (44′), 2-1 Gimber (45+2′)
YELLOW CARDS
Simakan (3rd), Baumgartner (2nd) | Pieringer (4th), Gimber (1st)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Christian Dingert (Lebecksmühle)
1st assistant: Benedikt Kempkes (Thür)
2nd assistant: Nikolai Kimmeyer (Karlsruhe)
4th official: Dr. Max Burda (Berlin)
VAR: Katrin Rafalski
ATTENDANCE
44,887 at the Red Bull Arena
11th minute: Great chance for Openda
Lukas Klostermann plays Benjamin Henrichs in down the right and his pull-back into the middle finds Openda, but his finish is brilliantly kept out by Müller.
29th minute: Penalty for RBL
There’s the opener!Loïs Openda takes a first touch in the box with his back to goal, before being caught by a Heidenheim defender. The referee points to the spot and Openda himself steps up and converts. 1-0 to Leipzig!
44th minute: Poulsen doubles the lead
David Raum brilliantly beats his man on the left wing and picks up his head to spot Poulsen in the six-yard box. The Dane gets to the low cross first and somehow squeezes the ball in past Müller to make it 2-0!
45th minute +2: Caught cold before the break
The celebrations don’t last long for RBL. A corner is met by Benedikt Gimber and he is able to find the back of the net and bring Heidenheim back into the game at 2-1 on the stroke of half time.
54th minute: Schlager so close to adding a third
What a chance for RBL! Xavi drives through the Heidenheim midfield and lays the ball off to Xaver Schlager, but the Austrian can only find the side nettings from ten yards.
69th minute: Half-chances for Xavi and Openda
Xavi is brilliantly set up by Openda, but his shot is blocked by the Heidenheim defence. The rebound comes back to the Dutchman and he hands possession over to Openda to try his luck, but the ball flies over.
