Marcel Sabitzer (c.) scored twice as RB Leipzig beat Osnabrück 3-2 in the DFB Cup first round. - © DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH
Marcel Sabitzer (c.) scored twice as RB Leipzig beat Osnabrück 3-2 in the DFB Cup first round. - © DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH
bundesliga

Julian Nagelsmann celebrates winning debut as RB Leipzig beat Osnabrück in DFB Cup

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RB Leipzig booked their place in the second round of the DFB Cup with a hard-fought 3-2 win at Bundesliga 2 side VfL Osnabrück on Julian Nagelsmann's competitive debut on their bench.

Osnabrück 2-3 RB Leipzig
Goals: 0-1 Sabitzer (7'), 1-1 Amenyido (9'), 1-2 Klostermann (29'), 1-3 Sabitzer (31'), 2-3 Alvarez (73' pen.)

Osnabrück had a vociferous home crowd behind them and this appeared to lift them as they got at their Bundesliga opponents from the get-go. Leipzig managed to find a way to goal in the seventh minute, though, with Marcel Sabitzer converting from close range after both Christopher Nkunku and Timo Werner had been denied. Their lead did not last long, though, with Etienne Amenyido ghosting in unmarked to bring the hosts level within two minutes. Leipzig regained the lead when Lukas Klostermann pounced on a rebound after Yussuf Poulsen's header was saved, and Sabitzer added a third just over a minute later, converting another Poulsen assist with a diagonal shot which went in off the inside of the far post.

Osnabrück understandably gambled in the second half, committing more and more players forward in search of a route back into the game. This inevitably left them vulnerable at the back and Poulsen should have punished them with a free header, but he missed the target. Moments later, Werner had the chance to make it four, but he shot straight at Korber. They were punished for their profligacy when Klostermann handled inside the penalty area and Marcos Alvarez reduced the arrears from the spot, setting up a grandstand final 15 minutes. The hosts threw everything forward in search of an equaliser, and there were plenty of tense moments as Leipzig just managed to hold on.

Line-ups:
Osnabrück: Körber – Gugganig (85' Friesenbichler), Heyer, Konrad (70' Alvarez) – Agu, Taffertshofer, Blacha, Wolze – Ouahim, Amenyido (85' Girth) – Heider
Unused substitutes: Kühn, Farrona Pulido, Granatowski, Susac, Köhler, Klaas
Out: Engel, Ajdini, Trapp, Henning, Haubrock (all injured)
Coach: Daniel Thioune

Leipzig: Mvogo - Klostermann, Orban (c), Konate, Mukiele - Nkunku (55' Haidara), Demme (c), Laimer (70' Saracchi), Sabitzer - Poulsen, Werner (85' Cunha)
Unused substitutes: Gulacsi, Forsberg, Ilsanker, Lookman, Augustin, Krauß
Out: Adams (groin), Halstenberg, Kampl (both knocks), Wolf (ankle)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann

As it happened:
FULL-TIME!
Leipzig hold on to secure their place in the second round of the DFB Cup!

90' Stoppage time - four minutes
Will we have some late drama still?

85' Werner replaced
Werner's shift is over for today, and without a goal. Cunha comes on for the final five minutes, while former Bayern Munich youth forward Friesenbichler comes on as Osnabrück go all or nothing.

81' Chance to level!
Marc Heider blazes a shot from a good position high and wide. This cup tie is not over yet as we enter into the final ten minutes.

73' Game on again – 2-3!
Substitute Marcos Alvarez has just lifted the roof off the Bremer Brücke, slotting home the penalty to mean there is now just one goal in it!

73' PENALTY!
The hosts have a lifeline after Klostermann handles inside the area...

70' Two changes
Laimer is replaced by Saracchi for Leipzig, while Alvarez takes the place of Konrad for the hosts.

64' Chance to seal it – part two
This time it is Werner who misses a gilt-edged opportunity, with only Korber to beat, but he shoots straight at the Osnabrück goalkeeper.

63' Chance to seal it
Poulsen could have put the game beyond Osnabrück, but he sends his free header from eight yards out wide of the left-hand post!

61' Haidara in the wars
Leipzig substitute Haidara has been given a swift introduction to what a cup tie means, getting dumped onto the ground after an aerial challenge, and needing treatment, and getting pushed over again. Leipzig's players will definitely know they've been in a game today.

56' Big chance Osnabrück!
Marc Heider is sent clean through on goal, although he has a lot of grass in front of him. He gets a shot in, but the Leipzig defence have recovered ground and get in a crucial block.

55' Leipzig substitution
The first change of the game and Nkunku's debut comes to an end, with Haidara now on.

53' Bright start from the hosts
Much of the action has been in the Leipzig half with the hosts knowing they need to commit men forward if they are to stand any chance of getting back into this tie, and they are finding a few openings too. The fans respond in turn, giving them even more encouragement.

Second half started
We're back underway without any changes at the interval.

Half-time – 1-3
Leipzig have a comfortable lead at the Bremer Brücke, but Osnabrück – urged on by a vociferous home support – have created chances and are bound to double their efforts in the second half, with the last word in this DFB Cup tie not yet spoken.

42' Mvogo saves!
Osnabrück are not just going to sit down and accept this defeat and Mvogo has to make a save with his legs to keep out Kevin Wolze's volley.

40' Confident Leipzig
Having established a two-goal cushion, Leipzig are now playing the ball around with much more confidence, giving a hint of what we can expect from them under Julian Nagelsmann this season – fast movement on and off the ball.

31' And it's three – 1-3!
Another case of two goals in as many minutes, although this time it's Leipzig celebrating both of them, with Marcel Sabitzer bursting down the right again and finding space to get a shot in, off the inside of the far post. Hammer blow to the hosts!

29' Leipzig lead again – 1-2!
Leipzig have regained the lead, with Osnabrück goalkeeper Nils Korber unfortunate once again. He saves Yussuf Poulsen's header, but the ball lands kindly for Lukas Klostermann to convert from close range.

28' Werner chance!
Timo Werner gets into the penalty area and skips past a few challenges, but his shot is deflected behind for a corner. That was Leipzig's first chance for several minutes, with the hosts looking stronger and stronger.

21' Sabitzer back
Sabitzer has returned after some treatment on the touchline, and his first task is to help defend a corner. Mvogo flies to his near post to punch the curling ball away. Amenyido then gets a header on target, but Mvogo is there again.

19' Sabitzer struggling
Leipzig have just ten men on the field as Sabitzer receives treatment. Julian Nagelsmann is scratching his head and may be forced into an early change.

15' Breathless stuff
There's barely been a break in the end-to-end action at the Bremer Brücke, with Osnabrück's players biting at the heels of Leipzig. The Bundesliga side are enjoying a lot of the possession, but they are under pressure with it.

9' Immediate reply - 1-1!
Leipzig's lead lasted less than two minutes before their defence got caught out and Amenyido stole in completely unmarked to tuck the ball in at the far post! Game on!

7' Sabitzer draws first blood - 0-1!
Leipzig take the lead in the seventh minute with Marce Sabitzer poking home from close range after first Christopher Nkunku's shot was parried and then Timo Werner's follow-up was fumbled out.

3' Werner's weak effort
Timo Werner gets in the first shot of the game, but his effort lacks power from just outside the penalty box and there's no danger to the Osnabrück goal.

Kick-off!
We are underway, with Leipzig in all white and the hosts in their traditional colours of lilac.

All set!
The teams are out on the field and we are ready for more DFB Cup drama!

Cup Pedigree
Foregone conclusion for Leipzig? Think again! Osnabrück have DFB Cup pedigree, with Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Mönchengladbach and even Bayern Munich among their victims in the past.

LINE-UPS!
The teams have been announced and, in just under 40 minutes, the following 22 players will be taking to the field in this DFB Cup first-round clash.
Osnabrück: Körber – Gugganig (85' Friesenbichler), Heyer, Konrad (70' Alvarez) – Agu, Taffertshofer, Blacha, Wolze – Ouahim, Amenyido (85' Girth) – Heider
Leipzig: Mvogo - Klostermann, Orban (c), Konate, Mukiele - Nkunku (55' Haidara), Demme (c), Laimer (70' Saracchi), Sabitzer - Poulsen, Werner (85' Cunha)

Watch: Timo Werner's Bundesliga mixtape

Match stats

  • This is the fourth meeting between these two clubs, and the second in the DFB Cup after Leipzig's 2-0 win in Osnabrück in the first round in 2015/16. They each won their respective home games in the third division in 2013/14.
  • Poulsen and Diego Demme are the sole survivors from Leipzig's 1-0 win over Osnabrück in 2014. Bayern Munich and Germany full-back Joshua Kimmich also appeared for Leipzig in that fixture.
  • Nagelsmann's Hoffenheim lost 2-0 to Leipzig in the DFB second round last season.
  • Leipzig faced lower-league opposition only twice in the DFB Cup in 2018/29, winning 3-1 in the first round against fourth-division Viktoria Cologne. After that, they defeated Bundesliga sides Hoffenheim, Wolfsburg and Augsburg before eliminating Bundesliga 2 outfit Hamburg in the semi-finals.
  • Osnabrück failed to qualify for the DFB Cup last season, but reached round 2 in 2017/18, losing 3-2 to Nuremberg having eliminated Hamburg in the first round. They reached the quarter-finals in 1989/90 and 2009/10, losing to Eintracht Braunschweig and Schalke respectively.
  • Osnabrück's win last weekend was their first away victory in Bundesliga 2 since May 2011.