On 2 December, one of the matches of the 13th round of the German football championship took place. RB Leipzig (Germany) and Heidenheim (Germany) met.
German Championship, 13th round
RB Leipzig (Germany) - Heidenheim (Germany) - 2:1 (2:1)
Goals: Openda (29), Yussuf Poulsen (44) - B. Gimber (45+2). Gimber (45+2)
Warnings: M. Pieringer (60), M. Simakan (60), B. Gimber (86), Baumgartner (88)
In a thrilling Bundesliga match played at the Red Bull Arena, RB Leipzig earned a deserved 2-1 victory over Heidenheim. The thrilling encounter entertained the fans from the first to the last whistle, showcasing the skill and determination of both teams. The excitement started in the 29th minute when a penalty was awarded against RB Leipzig. L. Openda confidently stepped into the penalty position and sent the ball perfectly into the net. Just before the break RB Leipzig increased their lead with a superb goal in the 44th minute. J. Poulsen demonstrated his skill by hitting the net, leaving the Heidenheim goalkeeper no chance. The home crowd exploded with joy, firmly believing that victory was close, but Heidenheim showed their fighting spirit and clung to the ball. In the last minutes of the first half, B. Gimber scored the decisive goal for his team, reducing the gap to one goal. The Heidenheim FC fans were looking forward to an exciting second half. As the second half started, both teams showed their determination to get the win. The game escalated as time went on, with each team striving for the decisive goal. In the 60th minute, tensions arose when Heidenheim's M. Piringer received a yellow card and soon RB Leipzig's M. Simakan received a yellow card as well.
The atmosphere heated up to the limit, the players fiercely fought on the pitch, trying to prove their superiority. In the last minutes of the match there were several substitutions, both teams tried to make fresh energies and tactical changes. FC Heidenheim introduced L. Maloney and N. Theuerkauf in the 68th minute, hoping that the new faces would turn the tide of the match in their favour. RB Leipzig responded with two substitutions, replacing J. Poulsen with B. Theuerkauf. Poulsen for B. Sesko and X. Simons for E. Forsberg in the 77th minute. When the game reached its climax, Heidenheim introduced J. Beste and J. Schoppner, while RB Leipzig introduced D. Thomall. Emotions ran high in the final minutes of the game, leading to yellow cards for Heidenheim's B. Gimber in the 86th minute and RB Leipzig's K. Baumgartner in the 88th minute. In the midst of the chaos, RB Leipzig made their final substitutions, replacing K. Baumgartner with K. Lukeba, and D. Raum for K. Lenz. Despite a tense battle until the final whistle, neither team was able to change the score. RB Leipzig defeated Heidenheim in a hard-fought 2-1 victory. The match demonstrated the skill and competitiveness of both teams, leaving the fans in suspense until the very end. RB Leipzig will undoubtedly take this victory with them to move up the Bundesliga table, while FC Heidenheim will regroup and analyse their performance, looking to bounce back in the next game.
The following matches await the opponents in the next round: Borussia D vs RB Leipzig, Heidenheim vs Darmstadt.
| RB Leipzig | Heidenheim | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Kicks to the goal | 1 |
| 24 | Kicks | 6 |
| 6 | Blocked shots | 2 |
| 19 | Penalty kicks | 5 |
| 5 | Kicks from outside the penalty box | 1 |
| 13 | Offences | 14 |
| 5 | Corners | 3 |
| 3 | Offsides | 0 |
| 71% | Ball possession | 29% |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
| 0 | Keeper saves | 5 |
| 690 | Total assists | 284 |
| 609 | Accurate assists | 178 |
| 88% | Accuracy of passes | 63% |