A red card for Clemens Fandrich was the highlight of a game that lacked the spark to get it started. Tim Sebastian and Vincenzo Grifo were the stand-out performers, but neither side could find that all important first goal.
The hosts were missing several players coming into the matchday four game: Amine Aoudia, Chhunly Pagenburg, Joan Oumari and Denis Epstein were all ruled out of the clash. Despite all the injuries, this only forced Benno Möhlmann into one change. Epstein, who helped his side to their first win of the campaign against Nürnburg last weekend, was replaced by Alexander Huber. Möhlmann was very praiseworthy of his opposition, who were table-toppers after the opening three games: "It is a team that is compiled with perspective and has a lot of young talent. Leipzig have high quality in all areas."
RB Leipzig, as well as being top of the 2.Bundesliga, were also unbeaten after a fantastic start. Left-back, Anthony Jung, came into the game wary of the hosts defensive qualities, "Frankfurt is known to act rather defensively. The team will therefore certainly be play deeply against us and try to keep the score to zero." The 2.Bundesliga new-boys were in even more injury trouble than the hosts, with: Niklas Hoheneder, Yussuf Poulsen, Dominik Kaiser, Terrence Boyd and Fabio Coltorti all out of the game. This meant two changes from the 1-0 against Erzgebirge Aue; as Poulsen and Hoheneder were replaced with Matthias Morys and Marvin Compper.
FSV almost got off to the dream start. Edmond Kapllani, their top-scorer this season, rose highest from a corner; only to be denied by an alert Benjamin Bellot, who saved well to his left. The opening was very quiet, in truth. Odise Roshi tried a hopeful volley, but along with Daniel Frahn's blocked shot and Kapllani's header, there were no guilt-edge chances. Vincenzo Grifo had the best chance to open the scoring, breaking costless of the Leipzig midfield, but the on-loan Hoffenheim midfielder's shot was well blocked by Tim Sebastian.
Matthias Morys was next to try his luck, as he spun his defender he shot hard at Patrick Klandt, but the goalkeeper stood strong and parried to safety. Moements later, FSV went inches from opening the scoring. Kapllani was played through by Grifo, but the striker's chip wasn't strong enough to beat Sebastian and he hooked the ball off the line. Morys was proving a real thorn in Frankfurt's side, but Klandt was able to spread himself and stopped the striker from toe-poking Leipzig into a first-half lead.
The major talking point of the half came just one minute before the break. After a really rough challenge on Diego Demme, a brawl erupted. Players from both sides were involved, but Clemens Fandrich was deemed to be the main cause of a ten-plus-player-brawl. Having been booked just three minutes prior, he saw red and was sent for an early bath, with Hanno Balitsch also being cautioned for his tackle. A tough task was made even tougher, as both sides trudged off after an even half.
FSV Frankfurt seemed desperate to make their man advantage count, with several early attacks. The most dangerous coming from the impressive Grifo, who forced a solid save from Bellot. A clearance off of Bellot's line was quickly followed by Grifo bending a shot inches wide of the post, as the Italian continued to pull the strings in the middle.
Both teams brought about change, in order to freshen things up. Ante Rebic and Sebastian Heidinger came on for Leipzig, while Zafer Yelen replaced a quiet Andre Schembri. Rebic, a highly rated Croat, was coming on for his RB Leipzig debut and was hoping to liven up a dull encounter. Despite the substitutions, the game trundled along with incident. That was until Grifo cut in from the left and fired low at Bellot. The 'keeper couldn't hold onto his stinging drive and Yelen could only poke the rebound wide of an open goal. Odise Roshi's pace and persistence almost paid off in the closing stages, but for an excellent Sebastian block, Kapllani would have had a tap-in. A few hair-raising moments were still to come, none more so than Alex Huber hitting the post and putting the rebound wide.
The game ended the way it started, but with incident few and far between for the most part. Leipzig remained top, following the 2-2 draw between Kaiserslautern at Aalen. FSV made their way up to 11th place, both sides will be happy with the draw, both for differing reasons. Leipzig have a massive game against Braunschweig after the international break, with Frankfurt traveling to Kaiserslautern.