Bundesliga
Nkunku double sends Leipzig into Europa League last four
Christopher Nkunku scored twice as RB Leipzig advanced to the 2021/22 UEFA Europa League semi-finals with victory over Atalanta.
Atalanta 0-2 RB Leipzig (Leipzig win 3-1 on agg.)
Goals: 0-1 Nkunku 18’ (assist: Laimer), 0-2 Nkunku (pen. 87’)
With the away-goals rules a thing of the past and the game all to play for following a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Leipzig were indebted to Peter Gulacsi for denying Davide Zappacosta’s early drive. Benjamin Henrichs tested Juan Musto as Leipzig returned fire, before Gulacsci thwarted Ruslan Malinovskyi. It proved a key intervention. Sixty seconds later, Konrad Laimer scythed through the Atalanta defence and found the feet of Nkunku, who was never going to miss from inside the box. Angelino and Laimer went close to adding a second towards the end of a frenetic first half.
Leipzig spurned another presentable opening soon after the restart. Musso could only parry Silva’s shot to Laimer, but recovered in the nick of time to turn the follow-up effort behind. Hans Hateboer miscued a close-range header on one of the rare occasions Atalanta did threaten an equaliser. Zapata then fluffed a headed attempt of his own, but not before Musso had been called on to keep out a fierce Nkunku shot from a tight angle. After being brought down by Musso, Nkunku sealed the deal with a late penalty to set up a last-four meeting with Glasgow Rangers.
Match stats
- Nkunku has scored or assisted in all but one of Leipzig’s 10 away fixtures in 2022.
- Sixteen different outfield players have scored for Leipzig in all competitions so far this season, with Silva (14 goals) second to Nkunku (30 goals) in the club charts.
- Tedesco’s Leipzig have lost just one of 17 competitive matches since the turn of the year, winning 12.
- Leipzig have scored in all of their European games this season, hitting 23 in 10.
- Leipzig are through to the semi-final stage of a UEFA competition for the second time since gaining promotion to the Bundesliga in 2016. They made it through to the Champions League last four in 2019/20.
- Leipzig could meet Bundesliga rivals Eintracht Frankfurt in the final.
Line-ups
Atalanta: Musso - De Roon, Demiral (Scalvini 70'), Palomino - Hateboer, Koopmeiners, Freuler (c) (Pasalic 88'), Zappacosta - Malinovskyi (Muriel 58'), Boga (Miranchuk 70') – Zapata
Unused subs: Rossi, Sportiello, Pezzella, Djimsiti, Mihaila, Pessina, Cittadini
Out: Cabezas (knee), Ilicic (depression)
Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini
Leipzig: Gulacsi (c) - Simakan, Orban, Gvardiol (Poulsen 79') - Henrichs (Klostermann 73'), Laimer (Adams 73'), Kampl (Halstenberg 79'), Angelino - Olmo - Silva (Szoboszlai 63'), Nkunku
Unused subs: Tschauner, Martinez, Forsberg, Mukiele, Raebiger, Novoa
Out: Haidara (knee)
Coach: Domenico Tedesco
As it happened!
0 - 2(0 - 1)
Atalanta
FINAL
Leipzig
90' +8
vs
FULL TIME
Leipzig have done it and, after reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League just a few years ago, they are now into the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League!
90' +7
vs
ZAPATA SUMS IT UP
The Atalanta forward gets around the back, but screws his shot across goal, summing up his and Atalanta's night.
90' +5
vs
CARDS, CARDS, CARDS
The referee brandishes his yellow card three times, even for Kampl, who protested from the bench. That's 10 names now in his book.
90' +5
vs
Davide Zappacosta
90' +5
vs
Kevin Kampl
90' +5
vs
Mohamed Simakan
90' +2
vs
PASALIC OVER
A header from Pasalic goes over the crossbar when that had to go in for Atalanta to have any real hope of recovering.
90' +2
vs
Hans Hateboer
90'
vs
SEVEN MORE MINUTES!
There will be seven minutes added on, so some more defending to do for Leipzig.
88'
vs
Mario Pasalic
Remo Freuler
87'
vs
NKUNKU AND OUT
That must be it! Nkunku earned and scores the penalty, and Leipzig are surely now heading into the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League!
86'
vs
PENALTY LEIPZIG!
Musso hauls down Nkunku and here's a chance to seal the deal!
84'
vs
ALL IN ONE HALF
Twenty-one players all in one half here, with just Musso in the Atalanta half of the field, as the hosts seek an equaliser.
80'
vs
TIME RUNNING OUT
Muriel takes a corner which is met by Zapata, but he heads over. Only ten minutes left for Leipzig to hold on here.
79'
vs
Yussuf Poulsen
Joško Gvardiol
79'
vs
Marcel Halstenberg
Kevin Kampl
75'
vs
FRUSTRATED HOSTS
Another yellow card born out of frustration, with Koopmeiners hacking down Kampl, who is in no rush to get up as he receives treatment.
75'
vs
Teun Koopmeiners
74'
vs
ZAPATA JUGGLING
The Atalanta forward tries to juggle the ball into the box, but two Leipzig players are no clowns and block his path.
73'
vs
Lukas Klostermann
Benjamin Henrichs
73'
vs
Tyler Adams
Konrad Laimer
70'
vs
Giorgio Scalvini
Merih Demiral
70'
vs
Aleksei Miranchuk
Jeremie Boga
69'
vs
KOOPMEINERS BLOCKED!
Muriel has revitalised the Atalanta attack and he cuts the ball back for Koopmeiners, who has a shot blocked.
67'
vs
NKUNKU SO CLOSE!
Almost a second for Leipzig with the magician Nkunku skipping past his marker and shooting from a tight angle, but Musso has his near post covered.
63'
vs
Dominik Szoboszlai
André Silva
62'
vs
ORBAN SUSPENDED
The first Leipzig name in the book is Orban's, and that means he will miss Die Roten Bullen's next European game, which could be the first leg of the semi-final.
62'
vs
Willi Orban
60'
vs
Merih Demiral
60'
vs
NERVES AND NEW FACE
Two yellow cards shown for two complaining Atalanta players, who are showing their frustration. Meanwhile, Muriel comes on to give more weight to the Nerazzurro attack.
59'
vs
Duvan Zapata
59'
vs
Remo Freuler
58'
vs
Luis Muriel
Ruslan Malinovskyi
55'
vs
PRESSURE MOUNTING
Atalanta pushing, but Leipzig go close on the break, Musso not getting a strong hand to Andre Silva's shot and the ball reaches Laimer, whose effort is turned behind by the recovering Atalanta custodian.
52'
vs
NO PENALTY FOR ATALANTA
The referee says it is not an punishable handball from Olmo, and so no penalty is given.
49'
vs
ANOTHER HANDBALL?
The referee is checking VAR for a potential handball from the next Atalanta free-kick. He goes to check the monitor...
48'
vs
Benjamin Henrichs
48'
vs
EDGING CLOSER
Atalanta have a free-kick almost 30 yards out which hits Henrichs' arm, and the referee books the Leipzig defender and gives Atalanta another free-kick, closer to goal.
46'
vs
AWAY WE GO!
Forty five more minutes and, if Leipzig do not concede, that will be it. If they do, then we might need an extra 30.
vs
TEAMS RE-EMERGE
The second half is about to start - can Leipzig hold onto this one-goal advantage and reach the semi-finals? We will find out soon!
45'
vs
HALF TIME
No time added on and it is a case of so far, so good for Leipzig, thanks to the outstanding Laimer-Nkunku axis.
42'
vs
ORBAN IN THE WAY
An excellent clearance from Orban to turn Boga's cross behind when he has Zapata breathing down his neck.
39'
vs
LEIPZIG CREATING
Another chance for the guests with Angelino's looping cross headed back into the danger area by Andre Silva, who earns a corner. Laimer then shoots just wide with just a touch needed to divert it in. Chances for Leipzig.
36'
vs
NKUNKU HELPS OUT
Just to prove what an outstanding all-rounder he is, Nkunku tracks back and pickpockets Malinovskyi on the edge of his own area, coolly trotting away with the ball at his feet after snuffing out a good Atalanta attack. One scored, one prevented. All in a night's work.
34'
vs
AND STILL NO GOAL...
...for Koopmeiners, who squanders his second chance in 60 seconds.
34'
vs
KOOPMEINERS CLOSE
Four goals in this, his first season in Serie A, but no goal tonight as he strikes his effort high and wide.