Bayer Leverkusen 2-3 RB Leipzig: Leipzig mount comeback to end Leverkusen's unbeaten Bundesliga streak

Throughout the 2023/24 Bundesliga season, Bayer Leverkusen maintained an impressive unbeaten record until they faced a stunning defeat at the hands of Lois Openda (24) in a thrilling 3-2 comeback for RB Leipzig. This match marked the end of Die Werkself’s remarkable 35-match unbeaten streak in the league.

Leipzig commenced the match with enthusiasm against the defending champions, but their fortunes took a turn for the worse when Edmond Tapsoba tested Peter Gulacsi with a header at the back post just eight minutes into the game.

Piero Hincapie subsequently struck the crossbar from close range, serving as a warning for Die Roten Bullen. Marco Rose then made history by becoming the first Bundesliga manager to receive two red cards in his career after expressing his frustrations excessively to referee Matthias Jollenbeck.

A significant opportunity was squandered by Benjamin Sesko, and the Leipzig defense began to falter in the absence of Rose’s guidance from the sidelines.

The first error came from Lukas Klostermann, whose failed clearing header allowed Jeremie Frimpong to break through on goal, enabling the Dutch international to maneuver past El Chadaille Bitshiabu and slot the ball into Gulacsi’s near post.

While the hosts accumulated several chances, Bitshiabu inadvertently permitted Martin Terrier to recycle the attack to Florian Wirtz, who then assisted Alex Grimaldo for an easy tap-in from the center of the area.

Although Die Werkself dominated the first half in terms of opportunities, they faced a setback when Kevin Kampl darted to the near post to head in Benjamin Henrichs’ cross deep into stoppage time, reducing their deficit.

After the interval, Leverkusen continued to create chances, but the most significant opportunities began to favor the visitors. Kampl forced Matej Kovar into a spectacular save with a long-range shot, while Castello Lukeba was unfortunate to have his goal disallowed due to Sesko being in an offside position.

They did not have to wait long for their equalizer, as Šeško set Openda free, allowing him to slide the ball through Kovar's legs.

Having now scored in each of his three matches against Leverkusen, the Belgian subsequently received a pass from Antonio Nusa and struck the ball through Tapsoba’s legs into the near post from a distance, completing a remarkable comeback for his team.

Considering Leverkusen's late-game performances from the previous season—where they netted 18 goals in the final minutes—the BayArena crowd was almost anticipating a last-minute equalizer; however, it did not materialize this time.

As a result, they were unable to equal Hamburg’s impressive 36-match unbeaten streak from 1983 and will not replicate last season's success, while Rose’s team has now established their own 13-match unbeaten run.