RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund played out a 1-1 draw at the Red Bull Arena in the Bundesliga on Saturday evening with both teams eager to not lose the game.
Both sides went into the game, separated only by three points in the table, so this was always going to be a close match and things started well for the home side as Jean-Kévin Augustin fired them into the lead before the half hour mark.
Their lead only lasted nine minutes though as Marco Reus got the visitors back on level terms as the sides went in at half-time level.
The second half was very cagey as both sides set out not the lose the game and that is what happened as both sides had to settle for a point which will suit the visitors much more the hosts in the chase for UEFA Champions League football next season.
Both sides had early chances to take the lead
Straight from kick off, the game had an open feel to it and both sides came close to opening the scoring within the first ten minutes of the game.
The hosts were the first to go close when a loose ball from Manuel Akanji across his own backline gave Timo Werner to intercept and run through on goal but he was denied by a good save from Roman Bürki.
Just over a minute later, the visitors had the chance to open the scoring themselves when a good passing move ended with André Schürrle passing the ball to Michy Batshuayi, who turned his defender in the box before unleashing a powerful shot which forced Péter Gulácsi into making a brilliant save.
Augustin fired the home side into the lead with a moment of quality
After these early chances though the game settled down a bit as both sides showed each other some respect until a moment of real quality saw the hosts take the lead just before the half-hour mark.
The goal was created by Naby Keïta after he intercepted a pass in midfield before playing a great pass through to Augustin, who calmly slotted the ball past Bürki to give the home side the lead in this crucial game.
It meant that the visitors needed a strong response after going behind and that led to them getting an equaliser nine minutes after going behind.
Reus levelled proceedings before half-time
The goal came after a good passage of play which ended with Mahmoud Dahoud playing a great ball through to Reus, who rounded Gulácsi, before putting the ball into an empty net to get his side back on level terms.
Both sides pushed to try and get themselves in front before half-time but some good defending prevented that from happening as the scoreline was level at the break, with both sides knowing that they needed to come out in the second half to try and win the game.
The second half was a very cagey affair as both sides had one good chance to win the game
The break seemed to break up the momentum of the game as both sides struggled to get going in the opening exchanges of the second half until the visitors started to up their game and they really should have taken the lead just after the hour mark.
The chance was once again created by Dahoud, who went on a great run into the box, passing two defenders, before playing the ball across the goal, but with the goal at his mercy, Batshuayi couldn't put the ball into the net which really let the home side off the hook.
That though was as good as it got for the visitors in the second half as they decided to settle for a point in a difficult game but they almost lost the game five minutes from time when another a great pass from Keïta found Bruma in the box but his chipped shot towards the far post just went wide.
Therefore, the game ended in 1-1, with the second half a real non event in terms of too much action in front of goal with the happy of the two managers being Peter Stöger, who set his team up to not get beat and that is what happened.