RB Leipzig Mounts Stunning Second-Half Revival to Secure Draw with Heidenheim

In a thrilling encounter at Red Bull Arena, RB Leipzig, who are vying for a top-four finish, managed to claw back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw against relegation-threatened Heidenheim. This match marked Leipzig’s third stalemate in their last four Bundesliga outings (W1).

Heidenheim, coming off a heart-wrenching midweek UEFA Conference League loss in extra time, would have been expected to start slowly. However, they stunned the hosts by scoring twice within the first 15 minutes.

The opener came in the seventh minute, as Leipzig’s failure to clear their lines allowed Mathias Honsak to unleash a stunning shot into the top corner from the edge of the area.

Despite sitting second-bottom of the Bundesliga before kick-off, Heidenheim showcased remarkable resilience and determination, extending their lead to 2-0 just six minutes later.

Willi Orban’s foul on Marvin Pieringer inside the box led to the latter converting the resulting penalty with confidence.

Marco Rose’s side struggled to find rhythm initially, but they created hope for a comeback just before half-time after reducing the deficit.

Kevin Kampl’s cross was expertly controlled by Benjamin Sesko, setting up Lois Openda to fire a strike at the near post.

Emerging from the break, Leipzig appeared rejuvenated and eager to level the score early on. Openda was nearly on target again, finding space on goal, but Heidenheim keeper Kevin Müller did well to rush out and deny him.

Müller was kept on his toes, soon forced to make a diving save to thwart Ridle Baku’s curling effort.

The relentless pressure from Die Roten Bullen paid off on the hour mark when a foul by Tim Siersleben on Openda resulted in a penalty.

After a lengthy VAR review, it was Sesko who stepped up, calmly converting from the spot.

Coach Rose would have anticipated that goal to shift momentum in Leipzig’s favour; however, the hosts were unable to capitalise on Heidenheim’s fragility. In the end, Leipzig had to settle for a draw, missing the chance to vault into the top four, while Heidenheim managed to secure their first Bundesliga point in six matches.

Catch the match stats here