Leipzig stumble again with Wolfsburg draw

Berlin (AFP) – RB Leipzig dropped more crucial points in the Bundesliga title race as they were held to a 1-1 draw away to Wolfsburg on Tuesday.

Wolfsburg took the lead against the run of play on 15 minutes, Paul Verhaegh coolly slotting home a penalty after Ibrahima Konate’s foul on Mario Gomez. Despite continuing to dominate, Leipzig could not break through before half-time.

The visitors burst out of the blocks after the break, and were rewarded on 52 minutes as Marcel Halstenberg squeezed the ball past Koen Casteels for the equaliser.

As Wolfsburg rallied late in the game, Divock Origi should have restored the lead for Wolfsburg in the 78th minute. The ball fell to the Liverpool loanee just metres in front of goal, but he somehow sent it soaring over the crossbar.

Leipzig’s night went from bad to worse in injury time as Dayot Upamecano saw a second yellow card for a foul on Victor Osimhen.

Second-place Leipzig trail leaders Bayern Munich by seven points and have won just one of their last five league matches. 

Later on Tuesday, Peter Stoeger starts his colossal task of arresting Borussia Dortmund’s freefall down the Bundesliga table while former employers Cologne face a daunting trip to Bayern on Wednesday.

Stoeger has had little time to assess Dortmund’s problems ahead of his first match in charge, away to strugglers Mainz.

Dortmund are winless in their last eight league games and Stoeger’s predecessor Peter Bosz was sacked on Saturday after only 167 days in charge, and following a shock 2-1 home defeat to second-from-bottom Werder Bremen.