RB Leipzig frustrated by Schalke

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RB Leipzig found no way through a resilient Schalke side on Sunday as the team's shared the points in a goalless draw.

RB Leipzig 0-0 Schalke

Ralf Rangnick's charges made all the early running at the Red Bull Arena but Schalke, out of form and wary of slipping to what would have been a seventh league defeat of the season, closed ranks and packed their backline. As such, Leipzig's clearest opportunity of the first 45 minutes was a half-chance for Yussuf Poulsen, but his weak shot was easily saved. Breel Embolo should have broken the deadlock for the visitors around the half-hour mark, but glanced wide from a free header following a corner.

The match followed a similar pattern after the break, but time and again Leipzig's attacking efforts were thwarted by Schalke's defensive numbers. Indeed, again it was the guests who had the clearest sight of goal in the second period, but this time Weston McKennie couldn't direct his header from a corner on target. Leipzig substitute Jean-Kevin Augustin had a shot saved late on, but in truth a draw was a fair result following a hard-fought encounter.

Match stats

    This was Leipzig's 19th competitive game of the season (thanks to their participation in the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds). Their record over that period is W10, D7, L2.Kevin Kampl was on the bench for the first time in the Bundesliga this season. Diego Demme is the only Leipzig outfield player to have started every league game in 2018/19.Schalke's Benjamin Stambouli made his first Bundesliga appearance of the season here following injury.This was Leipzig's fourth consecutive clean sheet in all competitions. The last time they had such a run was when they still played in Germany's third tier in 2014.  Rangnick, who spent two spells in charge of Schalke, has the best win percentage of any coach in the Royal Blues’ history (54 percent).Timo Werner and Poulsen have scored more goals combined (four apiece) in 2018/19 than the entire Schalke team (five).

Line-ups

Leipzig: Gulacsi – Mukiele, Orban (c), Upamecano, Halstenberg – Sabitzer, Demme, Laimer (Bruma 80'), Ilsanker (Kampl 68') – Poulsen, Werner (Augustin 80')
Unused subs: Mvogo, Konate, Klostermann, Cunha
Absentees: Nukan (match fitness)
Coach: Ralf Rangnick 

Schalke: Nübel – Stambouli (c), Sane, Nastasic – Caligiuri, McKennie, Bentaleb, Serdar, Mendyl (Schöpf 67') – Embolo (Burgstaller 90'), Uth (Skrzybski 85')
Unused subs: Langer, Mascarell, Konoplyanka, Naldo
Absentees: Fährmann, Teuchert (both thigh)
Coach: Domenico Tedesco

Watch: Yussuf Poulsen reflects on a "fair result"

As it happened

Click here for the Leipzig vs. Schalke match centre!