Highlights

0:28
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Watch: Marco Rose offers Leipzig praise

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Game over

After five defeats in a row against Union Berlin, RB Leipzig have won a Bundesliga game against the Irons for the first time in over two-and-a-half years. Happy days for the visitors, who scored through a superb Xavi Simons strike and substitute Benjamin Sesko's double, his first goals in the Bundesliga. Kevin Volland's second-half sending off added to the hosts' miserable day. Leipzig join Union on six points after three Matchdays.
Full-time
90'
+ 3

Union's broken resolve

The hosts are headed for their first Bundesliga home defeat in over one-and-a-half years. The Irons last lost at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei in Germany's top flight on February 13, 2022, against Borussia Dortmund.
90'

Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes

information
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
87'

RBL's fantasy football

Leipzig are a delight to watch now. Sesko and Olmo combine superbly, the latter chipping a fine pass in for his teammate, who heads in his second of the game.
87'
Benjamin Šeško
Goal probability
information
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
35 %
86'

Leipzig home free

A devastating counter attack from Leipzig sees the brilliant Xavi going for the more complicated through pass that finds Sesko. The new Leipzig man takes his time before applying a tidy finish in off the far post.
85'
Benjamin Šeško
Goal probability
information
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
21 %
83'

Rönnow busy

Benjamin Henrichs gets his head down and thumps a shot at goal from distance. Rönnow gets two strong hands behind that effort.
82'

Double booking

Gosens is late on Orban and the Union player goes into the book. Haberer protests and also sees yellow.
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Leipzig edging closer

The visitors still lead through that exceptional Xavi Simons strike. Xavi was also Leipzig's last goalscorer in Die Roten Bullen's 5-1 win against Stuttgart on Matchday 2. What a signing he's proving to be.
76'

Olmo magic

Dani Olmo has space on the edge of the area and the Spain international curls a shot high at goal. Rönnow palms over. Good save.
75'

Leipzig mix things up

Marco Rose has sent Benjamin Sesko and Christoph Baumgartner into the game as the visitors look to see this one out.
74'

Goal attempts
3off target
1on target
5off target
3on target
71'

Union changes

Double swap by Urs Fischer with Trimmel and Haberer now in the mix.
69'

Hope for hosts

Despite that setback, Union can take heart from the fact that they were a man down last week at Darmstadt and still managed to score three goals after losing a man.
68'

Simakan coming off

That tackle from Volland on Simakan that led to the former's sending off has had further consequences. Simakan, the man on the end of the foul, has limped out of the contest.
68'

Volland's second red

That's the second time Kevin Volland - who was playing in his 250th Bundesliga game today - was sent off in the German top flight. In October 2016, Union's new signing was ordered off against Hoffenheim while playing for Bayer Leverkusen.
65'

Volland sent off

Volland rakes his studs down the leg of Simakan and the Leipzig defender collapses in pain. A few moments pass before Volland is shown a straight red card. No arguing with that.
62'

Union change

Urs Fischer makes a switch, throwing Benedict Hollerbach on for his Bundesliga debut. David Datro Fofana makes way.
60'

Xavi takes a knock

Xavi Simons is down receiving treatment at the moment. The goalscorer suffered an injury while challenging for a 50/50 ball with Kral. The Leipzig man should be able to continue.
55'

Union's unwanted first

This is the first time Union have been behind in a Bundesliga game this season.
54'

Kampl has a pop

Kampl this time with a shot that pings wide of the upright. This game is breathless at the moment.
52'

Fofana looks to strike back

The Union man places the ball and wants to have a go from the free kick. He tries one but doesn't quite connect as he would have wished and the ball flies away from the target.
51'

What. A. Goal!

Leipzig lead and it's a beauty! Henrichs tees up Xavi who shapes to shoot from inside the D. The midfielder's shot is high and hits the net in spectacular fashion. It's a second goal of the season for Xavi Simons!
51'

Xavi Simons

GOAL!

0:1
Xavi Simons
Goal probability
information
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
12 %
46'

Game back on

Away we go in the second half. Will we see a breakthrough in this 45 minutes?
Kick-off!
46'

Half time

A tough tactical battle ends scoreless at the break.
Half-time
45'
+ 1

Handy for Rönnow

Raum's set piece reaches Simakan at the far post. His header is easily dealt with by Rönnow.
43'

Shots
1
1
Kevin Volland Loïs Openda
41'

Openda off target

Openda latches onto the through pass and lifts a shot over the advancing Rönnow. The ball bounces wide. Openda was offside in any case.
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Tough-tackling

Plenty of hefty, physical battles out there right now, with neither team shying out of the battle.
31'

Schlager batters one

The ball is teed up for Schlager who wallops a shot from distance at goal. His effort swerves away from the target. Plenty of power, but the aim was slightly off from the Leipzig man.
30'

Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes

information
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
1.
Josip Juranovic
Josip Juranovic33.71km/h
2.
David Raum
David Raum33.05km/h
27'

Kral warned

The Union midfielder is the next man into the referee's notebook for a foul on Xavi, who was in full flight when the hosts' No. 33 came knocking.
26'

Henrichs booked

Gosens is flatted by Henrichs out on the touchline. That's a booking for the Leipzig man.
24'

Fans in full voice

The home supporters have sounded insanely good and they're getting right behind their team here. On the first two Matchdays, Union scored in the first and fourth minutes respectively, but the Irons are having to be a touch more patient today.
24'

Goal attempts
0off target
1on target
2off target
1on target
22'

Raum set-piece

David Raum's corner from the right has incredible swerve but the ball spins just out of the reach of Leipzig's awaiting players. Any touch on that and it was in.
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Still scoreless

No goals thus far but this final Matchday 3 encounter has made for compelling viewing.
18'

Agile Rönnow

Xavi puts his foot through the ball from a central position. That's flying towards the target, meaning Frederik Rönnow needs to get a hand on it. The subsequent corner comes to nothing.
15'

Leipzig in possession

The visitors have had most of the ball thus far but Union have threatened with their passing and moving.
Possession (%)
4060
14'

Poulsen shot

Here come Leipzig. Xavi Simons plays a neat pass to Poulsen whose effort from outside the area is off target. Cracking game, this.
12'

Big chance Union

Super work from Kral who makes his way down the right before sending a pass to the near post. Volland rises and heads goalwards. Blaswich dives and pushes that away two handed.
9'

Openda menacing

A tasty, flighted delivery from Leipzig's midfield magician Dani Olmo just goes beyond Lois Openda. Union's fans breathe a sigh of relief.
6'

Nervy Blaswich

Man in form Kevin Behrens was an inch away from catching Janis Blaswich in possession. The goalkeeper just managed to get his kick-out away as the four-goals-in-two-games man slid in.
4'

End-to-end

Straight back up the other end and Volland - making his first start for Union - powers an arcing pass into the area. There's nobody there for the hosts. Energetic start to this game.
3'

Nothing to see

Fofana sends one into the mixer and Raum goes down with Volland in the vicinity. Play on says the ref. Nothing doing
2'

Fofana over exerts

A slightly over-enthusiastic Fofana drags back Schlager and we have the game's first free kick.
1'

Peeep!

Union get us underway.
Kick-off!

Teams out!

Both sets of players are going through their pre-match handshakes and we're now just moments from kick-off. Peak excitement!

Red and White delight

The Stadion An der Alten Försterei is bouncing as we await the appearance of both teams. We're about to hear the Union anthem with the home supporters clearing their throats ...
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Fischer's RBL praise

Meanwhile, here's Union coach Urs Fischers' take on today's visitors: "[Leipzig's] strengths are, among other things, counter-pressing and their quick switching of play after winning the ball. In addition, they are a team that has a lot of individual quality and that try to solve situations with the ball."

Rose wary

Coach Marco Rose highlighted the dangers his team are likely to face against Union today, the tactician saying: "[Union] are very good at crossing and dangerous in the air. It’s definitely something for us to focus on. They play with three at the back and two strong strikers, who inject a lot of pace into the game and are a constant handful in the box."
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Union team news

Just the one change to the Union team that began last weekend's 4-1 win at Darmstadt. Brenden Aaronson is suspended having been sent off against the Lilies so Kevin Volland makes his first start in Union colours. The 31-year-old is playing his 250th Bundesliga game today. New arrival Leonardo Bonucci, meanwhile, is on the bench.
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Leipzig team news

For the first time in over two years Leipzig will play with the same starting eleven in two consecutive Bundesliga games. Even the nine substitutes are the same as last week. Watch out for Xavi Simons and Dani Olmo pulling the strings for the visitors while there is another start for Yussuf Poulsen alongside recent arrival Lois Openda up top.

Union starting XI

Ronnow - Doekhi, Knoche (c), Leite - Juranovic, Laidouni, Kral, Gosens - Fofana, Behrens, Volland

Union subs

Schwolow, Roussillon, Bonucci, Jaeckel, Trimmel, Kemlein, Haberer, Hollerbach, Kaufmann

Leipzig starting XI

Blaswich - Henrichs, Simakan, Orban (c), Raum - Schlager, Kampl - Simons, Olmo - Openda, Poulsen

Leipzig subs

Zingerle, Klostermann, Lukeba, Seiwald, Baumgartner, Carvalho, Forsberg, Werner, Sesko

Atmosphere building

Fans are gathering around the Stadion An der Alten Försterei as today's big game edges closer. It's around 21 degrees Celsius in the German capital and slightly overcast right now. All in all, we've got the perfect conditions for an exciting game between two high-scoring sides.

Blaswich extends

It's been quite a year for Leipzig goalkeeper Janis Blaswich since he stepped in for injured club captain Peter Gulacsi. Featuring in 40 competitive games for Die Roten Bullen since, Blaswich has won DFB Cup and Supercup honours and he recently penned a one-year contract extension with the Saxony-based side. "I'm delighted," the goalkeeper said after penning a new deal that runs to 2026.
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Where will Big, Bad Bonucci fit in?

Possibly the most eye-catching transfer of the entire window came in the shape of Leonardo Bonucci arriving in Berlin. Today, we may well get our first glimpse of the Italian great in a Union shirt and ahead of the weekend, we looked at how he will fit into Urs Fischer's plans moving forward.
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Xavi and Openda on fire

Leipzig summer arrivals Xavi and Lois Openda have made a superb start to life at the Red Bull Arena. With Christopher Nkunku and Dominiki Szoboszlai making way, we recently looked at how the new attacking duo are more than plugging the gaps left by their predecessors.

A big game ahead!

Matchday 3 has a cracker of a closing fixture in the capital. Union can move top if they win by a big enough margin, while Leipzig would pull level with their hosts on six points with victory. Kick-off is at 5.30pm CEST, with teams news dropping an hour before that, so set your alarms now and click on the alerts for this fixture in the app to get that news first.

Vote now to win big prizes!

To mark the Bundesliga’s 60th birthday on 24 August, we’re giving fans the chance to pick their all-time best Bundesliga XI – this week it’s midfielders. Cast your votes below to go into the draw for some exclusive prizes.
0:50
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Watch: Union on point

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Probable line-ups

Who's in, who's out, who's a doubt? Find out the likely line-ups for this Matchday 3 encounter right here!!

Behrens bringing it

Along with being the Bundesliga's top scorer with four goals going into Matchday 3, Union forward Kevin Behrens has always been on the winning side against Leipzig (four games, fours wins, one goal scored).
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Deadly Dani Olmo

The Spain international has netted in all three games [in Supercup and Bundesliga] for Die Roten Bullen this term and his tally of five goals already matches his total for the entire 2022/23 campaign.

Leipzig's bogey side?

Incredibly, Union have won their last five Bundesliga games against Leipzig all by the same scoreline: 2-1. Such a sequence of results by the same final score is unprecedented in Germany's top flight.
2:03
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Unstoppable Union

Union have scored four times in each of their three competitive fixtures so far this term [one DFB Cup and two Bundesliga games]. Urs Fischer's men showed impressive team spirit to see of Darmstadt last weekend despite being a man down from the 21st minute.

Top scorers

Going into Matchday 3, only Union had scored more goals [8] than Leipzig and Bayern Munich [both 7].
2:03
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Leipzig have lift off

The Supercup champions bounced back for an opening day loss against Bayer Leverkusen to put Stuttgart to the sword last weekend in what was a scintillating attacking performance at the Red Bull Arena.

Here we go!

Settle in, for Sunday's final Bundesliga game is set to be a barnstormer. Union against Leipzig in a battle of the Champions League contenders that looks to have it all. Who fancies predicting the outcome of this one?
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Welcome!

Union finished Matchday 2 on top of the Bundesliga. Will they be back on pole come the end of Matchday 3? Not if title contenders Leipzig have anything to do about it. Stay tuned for match build-up, live coverage and highlights...