Benjamin Šeško helps RB Leipzig beat Sporting Lisbon in UEFA Champions League
Benjamin Šeško was on target as RB Leipzig broke their UEFA Champions League duck for the season with victory over defending Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon.
Although pointless six games into the eight-fixture league phase and out of the competition, Leipzig acquitted themselves with the professionalism befitting a team that tore up the script to reach the Champions League semi-finals in 2019/20. After riding an early storm, Leipzig tested the waters with a shot from Löis Openda, before Šeško applied a fine finish to David Raum's cross for the opener. Raum thought he'd added a spectacular second with over 30 minutes gone, but his effort from outside the area was ruled out for an offside against Openda following a VAR review. Lisbon ended the half strongly, albeit without testing Maarten Vandevoordt in the Leipzig goal.
Leipzig looked to press home their advantage after the restart as Xavi blazed off target after Franco Israel had thwarted Openda. Amadou Haidara then struck the inside of the upright, before Sporting passed up a handful of chances of their own, prompting the introduction of top scorer Viktor Gyökeres. The former St. Pauli striker duly levelled for the visitors, but parity lasted barely three minutes. Christoph Baumgartner fed substitute Yussuf Poulsen, who lost his balance but kept his nerve to finish past the goalkeeper after his initial effort had been blocked. Leipzig saw out the win on a morale-boosting night at the Red Bull Arena, ahead of the visit of reigning Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen this weekend.
Match stats
Šeško is Leipzig’s top scorer in the Bundesliga (eight goals) and Champions League (four goals) so far this season.
Poulsen has played in all seven of Leipzig's Champions League campaigns, scoring twice in 41 appearances.
Leipzig have won three of five meetings with clubs from Portugal (D1, L1).
However, with one point after seven games, the Red Bulls are enduring their worst-ever Champions League campaign.
Lisbon’s José Alvalade Stadium was the venue for Leipzig’s famous one-legged quarter-final win over Atlético Madrid in the 2019/20 edition of the competition.
Sporting have lost 21 of 31 UEFA competition meetings with German clubs (W4, D6).
Champions League League phase, Matchday 7 League phase, Matchday 7 Red Bull Arena
Full-time: Leipzig 2-1 Sporting
The Bundesliga side pick up their first Champions League points of the campaign in their final home game in the tournament for this season. Benjamin Šeško's 13th goal of 2024/25 opened the scoring for the home side while visiting substitute Viktor Gyökeres levelled up after the break. Leipzig were not to be denied, however, with Yussuf Poulsen bundling home a winner 12 minutes from time. Die Roten Bullen conclude their tournament with a visit to Sturm Graz on Matchday 8.
Gyökeres can't force home one more equaliser and the Red Bulls survive. Should things stay like this, it will be a big morale booster for Leipzig ahead of this weekend's big Bundesliga clash against champions Bayer Leverkusen.
Scenes in Saxony! Leipzig go on the attack immediately after going behind. Baumgartner plays a neat pass through for Poulsen, who looks to lift the ball over the advancing Israel. The shot connects with the keeper and Poulsen follows through, losing his balance before knocking home!
It's that man Gyökeres who marks the difference for his team once again. The substitute accepts a pass and runs at Orbán before going for a high left-footed effort towards the near post. The shot has too much power for Vandevoordt, who can only push the ball into the net.
Haidara hits the inside of the post for Leipzig but Openda committed a free inside the box which means haidara's effort wouldn't have counted had it gone in.
48'
Huge chance
Openda takes a touch inside the area before the Sporting goalkeeper lands at the Belgian's feet to deflect out. Xavi pounces on the loose ball and has the goal at his mercy, only to blast over. Was Openda offside there? Possibly.
46'
Peeep!
Sporting kick off the second half.
Half-time: Leipzig 1-0 Sporting
Die Roten Bullen take a slender lead into the break thanks to Benjamin Šeško's close-range finish.
Debast has a pop at goal which takes a deflection and goes over. This has been a frustrating evening so far for the visitors.
43'
Right place, right time
Fresneda lines one up as the ball rolls into his path and he smashes goalwards, only for Raum to get a crucial block in.
Game in balance
Despite leading, Leipzig are not in full control of this game and Marco Rose will be pleased to get his players in at the break to iron out some creases in the hosts' performance.
Harder fancies his chances from distance again but his effort hits Orbán and flashes narrowly off target. From the resulting corner, Xavi hoiks an attempted clearance into the side-netting.
32'
Leipzig denied
What a goal this would have been! Baumgartner sends a looping pass from right to left and Raum watches it all the way. The 26-year-old traps the ball with his left before poking a wonderful finish in at the far corner. After the game restarts, plays is halted as VAR spots a Loïs Openda offside in the build-up.
The Austrian slides in inside the Leipzig box to make a superb tackle on Araújo, who was just about to pull the trigger.
26'
Xavi denied
Xavi gets forward before unleashing a powerful shot, which is blocked.
23'
Raum in form
The Germany international full-back has three Bundesliga assists this season and he now has a first in the Champions League in 2024/25.
19'
Hosts hit the front
This is a smart opener from the home team. Xavi feeds Raum, who plays the perfect pass in for Šeško, the Slovenian sliding in to connect and send the ball into the net from close range.
The Belgian forward is ahead of his marker as Šeško dinks a pass over the top for his teammates to chase. Openda drills his finish wide, not that it would have counted.
Sporting in possession
The visitors have enjoyed 55 per cent of the ball thus far.
The Leipzig coach is off his bench and applauding his players as he tries to encourage them to up their efforts here. Not the best of starts by Die Roten Bullen.
9'
Harder once more
The Danish U21 forward is pretty active in these early stages and he has one more try with a boot at goal that fizzes over the crossbar.
5'
Šeško has a go
It's time for Leipzig's first foray forward and it's Benjamin Šeško who has a view of goal, yet his effort is mis-hit and dribbles wide.
2'
Sporting's bright start
Conrad Harder has had a couple of efforts at goal for the visitors, the first flying off target and the second - a low shot - gathered by Maarten Vandevoordt.
1'
Game on!
We're underway in Leipzig ...
Champions League anthem
It's that time of the evening when the famous tune sounds out and the camera pans along both sets of players. We're almost at kick-off.
Super atmosphere
The home side may no longer harbour any hopes of advancing in the Champions League but that hasn't stopped their fans coming out in force to see their heroes. There is tremendous noice inside the Red Bull Arena as the stadium announcer goes through the line-ups.
Warm-ups time
Both sides are being put through their paces at the Red Bull Arena, which is filling nicely on a chilly evening in Saxony.
More on those teams
Marco Rose rings the changes here with 22 year old Belgian goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt coming in to make his Champions League debut. Benjamin Šeško and Loïs Openda return to the fold having both served respective Bundesliga suspensions last weekend. Lutsharel Geertruida, El Chadaille Bitshiabu and Amadou Haidara also start for the hosts. Sporting's star forward, Viktor Gyökeres, is on the bench.
While Leipzig has lost all its Champions League games, often only just, Sporting has already made a big impression with a 4-1 win against Manchester City. They picked up their other points against Lille (2-0), in Eindhoven (1-1) and in Graz (2-0).
The new coach has taken the team to seven points from three league games. However, in the league cup final, they lost 7-6 on penalties to their great rivals Benfica. Sporting are top of the league, three points ahead of Benfica.
At the end of November and the beginning of December, Sporting suffered four defeats in a row in the league and Champions League. The possible reason: in mid-November, successful coach Rúben Amorim left for Manchester United. João Pereira took over, but was then dismissed in December. Rui Borges is now the man in charge of the Lions.
The Sporting situation
While Leipzig are out of contention, their Portuguese opponents are still fighting for a direct qualification for the round of 16. With ten points from six matches, Sporting sit 17th - three points short of the top 8, which would guarantee a direct place in the round of 16, with two games left to play.
Gyökeres looking dangerous
The Swedish forward is currently one of the most prolific strikers in Europe. Gyökeres, who was banging them in for St. Pauli in back in 2019/20, has already scored 33 times in 31 competitive games this season. Five of those goals have come in the Champions League.
"Sporting were a good team back when I played them with BVB and they still are now. Viktor Gyökeres wasn't there then. He's somebody that scores an incredible number of goals. After a successful period under Ruben Amorim, they now have a new coach who sets them up differently. They're a team that can play good football and they're also prepared to work hard out of possession. We want to put in a good performance at home and be successful."
Leipzig's first-ever win in European competition came against Sporting's rivals Porto back in 2017/18, when current captain Willi Orbán was on target at the Red Bull Arena.
After both having missed the Bochum game due to suspension at the weekend, forwards Loïs Openda and Benjamin Šeško are back in contention for a place in Leipzig's starting line-up this week.
Leipzig were three goals up at half-time in their weekend Bundesliga game away to Bochum, only for the hosts to produce a remarkable comeback. The game contained plenty for Wednesday's hosts to learn from ahead of Sporting's visit.
2:41
Leipzig in focus
Check out the Eastern gem and host city for Wednesday's Champions League game with our Leipzig and Red Bull Arena guide!
2:03
Winning ambition
Leipzig are without a victory in their last two Bundesliga games but, prior to that, were in blistering form on Xavi's return to action following injury when Die Roten Bullen beat Werder Bremen 4-2 to start the year.
Pride to play for
Unfortunately, hosts Leipzig have already been eliminated from this season's UEFA Champions League after six straight defeats in the competition. However, the Saxony-based side will want to put on one final show at home against Sporting in European competition, before their campaign concludes away to Sturm Graz on Matchday 8.
Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of RB Leipzig's seventh UEFA Champions League game of the 2024/25 league phase at home to Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday.