Battling Augsburg deny Leipzig

Augsburg 2-2 RB Leipzig
Goals: 1-0 Tietz 35', 1-1 Openda 39' (assist: Raum), 1-2 Šeško 52' (assist: Olmo), 2-2 Demirović 60'

Taking charge of his 50th Bundesliga game at the Leipzig helm, coach Marco Rose urged his side to take the good vibes from last weekend's win against Union Berlin into this Matchday 21 encounter. Sure enough, Die Roten Bullen carved out the game's first chance. Willi Orbán's header across the face of goal was met by Dani Olmo's wonderfully angled nod that looked destined to bounce in at the far post. Finn Dahmen had other ideas, however, the goalkeeper pulling off a stunning one-handed save to claw the ball out. The hosts were spurred into action. Ruben Vargas smashed into the side-netting while not long afterwards, the 25-year-old's blast at goal from distance was parried into the air by Péter Gulácsi. Watching the loose ball all the way, Phillip Tietz drilled first time into the corner to put Augsburg ahead. Leipzig were recently hurt by three straight league losses and looked determined not to allow another rot to set in. A sweeping move that saw Xaver Schlager find David Raum led to the latter picking out Openda with the sweetest of flighted passes. The Belgian forward duly placed a tidy header across Dahmen for parity. 

Having come from behind to claim a result on eight occasions this term, Augsburg were famed as the division's comeback kings. Yet it was their opponents who managed to turn this game on its head shortly after the restart when Benjamin Šeško met Olmo's centre to head high into the top corner for his third goal in as many games. After an at times hesitant first half, suddenly the game was all action. Raum hit a post before Olmo netted in a move that was ultimately called back for offside. At the other end, Gulácsi got a strong hand to Fredrik Jensen's daisy-cutter before Dahmen denied Xavi. The home fans urging their side forward, Kristijan Jakić released teammate Ermedin Demirović on the left. Augsburg's captain - looking to score in his third straight game for the first time - cut inside Schlager before powering in an equaliser. An unrelenting second 45' wasn't done with the drama yet. When Dahmen came off his line to punch Raum's set-piece clear, the Augsburg custodian accidentally took out Mohamed Simakan. A review led to a penalty. Openda's spot-kick was subsequently saved and Leipzig's opportunity for a big away win ahead of Tuesday's UEFA Champions League encounter against Real Madrid was missed. 

• Openda scored in a fourth consecutive Bundesliga game to take his tally to 15 goals this season. Only Harry Kane (24) and Serhou Guirassy (17) have netted more. 
• Of Šeško's six top-flight goals in 2023/24, four have been headers.  
• Raum now has eight goal involvements this season (two goals, six assists). Last term he managed just two assists for RBL.
• Demirović has four goals in his last three games and has scored 12 overall this term. 
• Tietz has five goals this season. He has scored twice with his left foot, twice with his right and once with his head. 
• Augsburg conceded 26 of their 38 goals this season in the first half, more than any other team.
• Dahmen has conceded at least one goal in all of his 34 Bundesliga games to date. Dietmar Linders (Duisburg) is the only other goalkeeper in Bundesliga history to go 34 Bundesliga matches without a clean sheet.

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Augsburg: Dahmen - Mbabu, Gouweleeuw, Uduokhai, Iago - Jensen (Engels 68'), Jakić, Rexhbeçaj - Vargas (Maier 83') - Tietz (Biel 68'), Demirović (c)
Unused subs: Gumny, Pedersen, Pfeiffer, Michel, Dorsch, Koubek
Out: Beljo (muscular), Framberger (knee), Oxford (illness)
Coach: Jess Thorup

Leipzig: Gulácsi - Henrichs, Klostermann, Orban (c) (Simakan 68'), Raum - Xavi (Baumgartner 84'), Schlager, Kampl (Seiwald 67'), Olmo (Elmas 67') - Šeško (Poulsen 72'), Openda
Unused subs: Blaswich, Lenz, Bitshiabu, Castello Jr.
Out: Haidara (knee)
Coach: Marco Rose