Relief at RB Leipzig, relief for Marco Rose: The Saxons have secured their first win in the reformed Champions League at the seventh attempt and given their criticized coach some peace of mind. The already eliminated Leipzig side won 2:1 (1:0) against Sporting Lisbon in a match with no sporting significance and picked up their first points - certainly good for their confidence ahead of the Bundesliga clash against Leverkusen on Saturday.
Against the Portuguese champions, who were without their top striker Viktor Gyökeres in the starting eleven, Benjamin Sesko (19th minute) gave them a deserved lead after a transitional situation. The not exactly numerous fans - 33,468 according to RB - then saw a Gyökeres goal after all. The substitute Swede (75') equalized, which Yussuf Poulsen (78') converted shortly afterwards to give RB the lead again.
Sporting with fans despite ban - and fireworks
Sporting were delighted to receive unexpected support from the stands. The European association UEFA had actually banned Sporting fans from away games after they had already set off and thrown pyrotechnics while on probation at FC Brugge on December 10. However, around 300 supporters purchased tickets for the match via German channels. In agreement with the police, they were accommodated in the visitors' block - and thanked them in their own way. In the 57th minute, they set off fireworks and unveiled a banner reading "Fuck Uefa".
At least the stadium was a little fuller, but the demand for the meaningless game was limited. At the invitation of RB, emergency personnel from the Christmas market attack in Magdeburg were in the stadium free of charge. A good 400 people had accepted the offer.
Raum: First jubilation, then disappointment
They saw Leipzig's first good combination down the right-hand side after eight minutes, but Loïs Openda's finish was too harmless. Things went better eleven minutes later. Christoph Baumgartner's pass after winning the ball was intercepted, but the ball landed at the feet of Xavi Simons. The Dutchman found David Raum on the left and, after his equally flat and sharp pass, Sesko only had to keep his foot in the center.
Both teams initially remained at roughly the same level, and Maximiliano Araujo (29) had the equalizer on his feet in a respectable game. However, Baumgartner intervened at the highest level. Shortly afterwards, Raum was celebrating wildly, but the international's goal (32) was taken back after video evidence. Openda was offside. Shortly before the break, Raum (43) was on hand at the back to block a shot from Ivan Fresneda, who was free in the penalty area.
Haidara and the post
The entertainment level remained high. Simons (48) curled around two Sporting defenders in the penalty area, but shot over the empty goal. Amadou Haidara (51) failed to hit the post with his shot from distance. Lisbon coach Rui Borges had seen enough and brought on his star player Gyökeres in the 55th minute.
He needed about 20 minutes to get going. A good 25 meters from goal, the Swede received the ball, allowed RB defender Willi Orban to run with him briefly before leaving him standing and firing the ball into the corner. It was Gyökeres' sixth top-flight goal in seven games this season.
Poulsen does not have anywhere near as good a record. But the RB attacker still scored straight away for Leipzig.
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