Late Orban equaliser sees RBL pick up a point in Bielefeld
Willi Orban heads in equaliser in added time | Janni Serra opened the scoring for Bielefeld | RB Leipzig secure fourth place in the Bundesliga and qualify for next season’s Champions League
RB Leipzig will return to the Champions League next season!
Domenico Tedesco’s side picked up a point on the final matchday of the Bundesliga season, qualifying for the 2022/23 Champions League season with a 1-1 draw against Arminia Bielefeld.
The Red Bulls were the dominant side in the first half and almost took the lead on several occasions. Christopher Nkunku hit the post (13’) before being denied by goalkeeper Stefan Ortega (35’). However, the 22,700 spectators at the SchücoArena did not see the goal in the back of the net before the break.
The second half began in a similar fashion, with Nkunku seeing an effort saved by Bielefeld’s Ortega (48’). The home side continued to remain secure at the back and managed to take the lead at the other end when Janni Serra turned home from close range after Peter Gulácsi had initially pulled off a good save (70’). With the game drawing to a close, Leipzig came ever closer to equalising and were finally wewarded fro their pressure when Willi Orban headed home in added time to level the scores a 1-1 and secure RB Leipzig’s place in the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League.
Die Startformation:
Statistics:
Arminia Bielefeld:
Ortega - Pieper (80' Brunner), Ramos, Nilsson (90' Andrade), Laursen, Okugawa, Prietl (C), Wimmer (46' Ince), Hack (90' Schöpf), Serra, Vasiliadis (63' Kunze)
RB Leipzig:
Gulácsi (C) - Simakan, Angeliño (86' Novoa), Orban, Forsberg (73' Olmo), Nkunku, Halstenberg, Laimer (72' Adams), Silva, Henrichs, Kampl (86' Szoboszlai)
Goals:
0-1 Serra (70'), 1-1 Orban (90'+3)
Referee:
Daniel Siebert (Berlin)
Attendance:
22,719 - SchücoArena
First half highlights, 1. Halbzeit:
4th minute:
Masaya Okugawa looks to attack on the counter with pace, but the RBL defence stands strong.
13th minute:
Emil Forsberg links up brilliantly with Christopher Nkunku in the Bielefeld area. Nkunku rounds Ortega, but his next touch takes the ball wide and he hits the post from a very narrow angle.
26th minute:
Benjamin Henrichs tries a long-range shot from around 15 metres after receiving the ball from Angelino, but his effort goes over the top left corner.
35th minute:
Nkunku bears down in front of Ortega after a good through ball from André Silva, but the Arminia keeper produces a good save.
44th minute:
Serra with a chance from a set piece, but his header goes wide of the post.
45th minute:
The final chance of the half falls to RBL – it’s Henrichs again with an effort from outside the area, but again it’s just off target. Referee Daniel Siebert then blows the whistle and ends the half goalless.
Second half highlights:
48th minute:
Laimer and Henrichs combine before finding Nkunku, but again there’s no luck in front of goal.
60th minute:
Bielefeld break down the right wing through substitute Burak Ince. Under pressure from Laimer, the Bielefeld man is forced wide and his effort from the edge of the area is no problem for Péter Gulácsi.
70th minute, GOAL for Arminia Bielefeld:
Robin Hack tries an outside-of-the-boot effort from the edge of the area and forces Gulácsi into a good diving save. Unfortunately, our number one doesn’t manage to clear the ball away from danger and Serra is quickest to react to force the ball over the line from close range.
83rd minute:
How is the ball one in? Ortega produces a good save to deny Sliva, and the ball falls to Nkunku. He takes a touch to create space before shooting, but defender Joakim Nilsson dives across to block.
85th minute:
Angelino crosses to Silva from the wing, but Ortega holds on to the ball.
90th+1 minute:
The Red Bulls are now throwing everything they have at Bielefeld. The ball ricochets to Silva in the area and he tries to stab past Ortega, but the Bielefeld goalkeeper is on hand again to rescue his side.
90th+3 minute, GOOOAAAAL for RB Leipzig!
Finaly! Who else but Willi Orban? Our number four meets a Dominik Szoboszlai free kick and heads home past Ortega. That goal secures a point for RBL and sees them qualify for next season’s Champions League!
