RB Leipzig fall to 1-0 defeat against Mainz 05
RB Leipzig suffer 1-0 defeat in Mainz on matchday 1 of the 2021/22 Bundesliga season | Moussa Niakhaté nets the winner for the Zerofivers (13')
Defeat on opening day. RB Leipzig suffered a 1-0 defeat to Mainz 05 after a fast-paced match. Moussa Niakhaté (13') opened the scoring early on, as Leipzig were unable to find an equaliser.
The Zerofivers were without several first-team players, who had to enter quarantine after a series of Covid-19 cases at the club. Nevertheless, Mainz started well and opened the scoring after just 13 minutes through Moussa Niakhaté after a botched clearance from Nordi Mukiele. Leipzig then found their footing, with Christopher Nkuku coming close in the 26th minute, before having his shot blocked at the last second.
The second half continued on in much the same fashion, as Leipzig dominated possession and pushed for an equaliser, with Mainz getting in the way of each attempt. The Zerofivers had the ball in the back of the net a second time, but the referee disallowed Stefan Bell's goal (74') after the ball was judged to have gone out of play. Despite a lively performance, RBL came away empty-handed from their first game of the new Bundesliga season.
RBL starting line-up:
Gulácsi – Simakan, Angeliño, Orban, Mukiele – Haidara, Forsberg, Adams, Nkunku, Kampl – Silva
Subs: Martinez, Sabitzer, Hwang, Klostermann, Szoboszlai, Brobbey, Laimer, Gvardiol, Raebiger
Goals:
1-0 Moussa Niakhaté
A minute's silence ahead of kick-off. Gerd Müller passed away today, aged 75. Both teams took part in a minute of silence in honour of one of Germany's greatest ever players before today's match. RB Leipzig extend their deepest sympathy and condolences to Gerd Müller's family and friends.
First-half highlights:
1st minute: Mainz get off to an energetic start, but captain Willi Orban is alert and ready to clear a long ball straight after kick off.
5th minute: Jae-Sung Lee sends a header against the right post, with Paul Nebel sending the rebound harmlessly across the face of goal.
13th minute: Mainz score first. Nordi Mukiele mis-hits a clearance and sends it back towards his own goal, where Moussa Niakhaté is waiting to poke it past Pete Gulacsi.
29th minute: So very nearly the equaliser for RBL! Emil Forsberg wins possession at the halfway line, and plays through Christopher Nkunku. The Frenchman is through on goal, but Mainz’s Niklas Tauer puts on a burst of speed to get back in time to block his shot.
38th minute: Nkunku has a go from range, but his shot is blocked.
44th minute: Three successive corners for RBL, with Orban and Simakan pushing forward but failing to get on the end of them.
Second-half highlights:
51st minute: Pete Gulacsi comes up with a big save to deny Tauer just minutes into the second half.
54th minute: Emil Forsberg has his back to goal as he receives the pass, but manages to squeeze off a shot on the turn. Alexander Hack puts his body in the way to block it.
55th minute: Leipzig have turned up the pressure, as Andre Silva nearly breaks through before being denied by a well-timed tackle from Hack.
58th minute: Chance after chance for the visitors, as Simakan has a shot saved by Zentner. The Frenchman is able to get a head to the resulting corner, but just misses the target.
73rd minute: Dominik Szoboszlain goes one-on-one with Zentner, but has his attempt blocked by the keeper.
74th minute: Mainz have the ball in the back of the net, but the referee disallows it after the ball was judged to have gone out of play on Nebel's outswinging corner.
76th minute: Nordi Mukiele picks up a pass just inside the box and is able to get off a shot, but Hack throws his body in the way to block it.
78th minute: Another big save from Pete Gulacsi, as he is able to bat the ball away from Burkhardt before he can get off the shot.
94th minute: Angelino crosses to Andre Silva, but his header sails just over the bar.