RB Leipzig and Sport-Club Freiburg played out a 1-1 draw in the 2. Bundesliga on Thursday night at Leipzig's Red Bull Arena.
The home side started the match with the same eleven that began last time out against 1. FC Heidenheim, as Davie Selke played as a lone striker with the trio of Emil Forsberg, Massimo Bruno and Marcel Sabitzer behind him.
SC Freiburg were also unchanged from their last outing. Lucas Hufnagel, who scored their late equaliser against DSC Arminia Bielefeld remained only as a substitute.
Kick-off
Both sides created chances in the opening ten minutes or so. Freiburg were first to register an attempt on goal. Nils Petersen, the 2. Bundesliga's top goalscorer, turned his effort just wide of Fabio Coltori's far post. Shortly after, Selke had a half chances for himself, but, like Petersen, he dragged his shot wide of the post.
Openings
Freiburg twice went close in quick succession. Firstly through centre-half Marc-Oliver Kempf. He rose to meet a corner, but his powerful header was directly at Coltori. Moments later, again from a corner, Philipp rose highest to get on the end of the cross, the ball fell to Immanuel Höhn, but could only direct the ball into Coltori's chest more or less on the goal line.
Next, it was the home side's turn to threaten. Lukas Klostermann launched a cross into the box which goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow didn't deal with, and Marcel Halstenberg powered a volley into the ground to force a superb save from the Freiburg stopper.
From the resulting corner, Leipzig again went close. Sabitzer it was this time who won the header which cannoned back off the upright. Still goalless but chances aplenty in the first half an hour.
Petersen puts Freiburg ahead
On the half-hour mark, Nils Petersen did what Nils Petersen does best. He put the Baden-Würrtemberg side ahead with his eighth goal in as many matches. A neat counter-attacking move saw Karim Guédè feed Maximilian Philipp, who dribbled neatly before playing in the former Werder Bremen man and he duly obliged, tucking the ball beyond Coltori at his near post. 0-1 to the travelling Breisgauer.
Wake-up call
The away side were issued a wake-up call in the 37th minute when Leipzig had a goal ruled out. It was Willi Orban who had the ball in the net, but his teammate Selke was adjudged to have been offside in the build-up and the referee's assistant flagged to disallow the goal. A let-off for the leading away side. The 0-1 score line was carried into the break.
Second-half
The home side made one change at the interval. Full-back Georg Tiegl replaced Stefan Ilsanker, who departed with an injury.
The home side made an extremely quick start to the second-half. Selke curled a delicious effort to Schwolow's left which left the 'keeper with no chance to compensate for the Die Bullen.
It wasn't long before the home side went close again. A pinpoint cross from goalscorer Selke onto Sabitzer's head forced a fantastic stop from Schwolow down to his right. Freiburg hanging on by the skin of their teeth at this time.
Freiburg did, however, manage to work themselves back into the game. Philipp and Petersen played a neat one-two on the edge of the area, and the former fired an effort on goal. Unfortunately for the away side, it was right down the throat of Coltori and he gathered with ease.
The following half hour offered very little in the way of chances. Both sides trying hard to gain superiority and exchanging minor blows, but to no avail.
In truth, the game somewhat peetered out with neither side mustering a clear-cut chance to grab the all important breakthrough, amid the game finished 1-1. This result meant Freiburg regained second place from FC St. Pauli and Leipzig jumped three places to sixth.