In a dramatic turn of events, Bayer Leverkusen’s impressive 35-match unbeaten streak in the Bundesliga came to an end as RB Leipzig secured a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory.
The decisive blow came from Lois Openda, who scored twice to snatch victory for Leipzig.
Leipzig began the match with high energy but soon found themselves on the back foot. Edmond Tapsoba’s header was saved by Peter Gulacsi, and Piero Hincapie’s close-range shot hit the bar.
The situation worsened for Leipzig as Marco Rose was dismissed, becoming the first Bundesliga manager to be sent off twice in his career.
Despite Leipzig’s troubles, Lukas Klostermann’s failed clearance allowed Jeremie Frimpong to score Leverkusen’s first goal. Martin Terrier later set up Florian Wirtz, who passed to Alex Grimaldo for Leverkusen’s second goal. Leipzig’s only response in the first half came from Kevin Kampl, who scored just before halftime.
After the break, Leipzig increased their pressure. Kampl’s long-range shot was expertly saved by Matej Kovar, and Castello Lukeba’s goal was disallowed due to offside.
However, Openda eventually equalized, finishing a pass from Benjamin Šeško. He then scored the decisive goal from a distance, beating Tapsoba and Kovar.
Leverkusen, known for their late goals last season, could not find a late equalizer this time, and Leipzig’s comeback secured them a memorable victory.
That meant they were unable to match Hamburg’s second-best ever 36-match unbeaten run of 1983 and won’t replicate the previous campaign, while Rose’s side have now put together a 13-match streak of their own without defeat.
