RB Leipzig 0-1 Liverpool: Darwin Núñez goal seals victory for Liverpool as VAR denies Leipzig
Liverpool maintained their perfect start to the UEFA Champions League (UCL) season with a narrow 1-0 win against RB Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena. This victory marks their eighth triumph in the last nine UCL encounters against teams from the Bundesliga.
The Merseyside club arrived in Germany buoyed by their best campaign initiation since the 1990/91 season, while Leipzig also entered the match with confidence, having remained unbeaten in their Bundesliga fixtures.
The home side created the initial scoring opportunities, with Benjamin Šeško being thwarted twice by Caoimhin Kelleher, alongside a powerful shot from Amadou Haidara that was expertly saved by the Irish goalkeeper.
As the half-hour mark approached, Leipzig believed they had taken the lead, but Loïs Openda's improvised strike from the edge of the box was disallowed due to an offside call.
In a swift turn of events, the Reds seized the advantage when Mohamed Salah's header was redirected into an unguarded net by Darwin Núñez, extending Liverpool's streak of scoring in their last 16 away UCL matches.
Before halftime, Arne Slot's team came close to equalizing, with Núñez and Virgil van Dijk both having headers saved by Péter Gulácsi.
The former Liverpool goalkeeper played a crucial role in keeping Leipzig in the match, denying Cody Gakpo from close range and managing to secure Núñez’s erratic shot to maintain the one-goal deficit as the match neared its conclusion.
Following a near miss from Alexis Mac Allister, who struck the crossbar from outside the area, Kelleher, who had a relatively quiet night, was called into action twice in quick succession, first stopping Šeško's close-range attempt and then expertly tipping Xavi Simons’ dipping shot over the bar.
Openda believed he had scored an equalizer in the closing moments, but the assistant referee's flag dashed the Belgian's hopes once again, as the current leaders of the Premier League secured their victory, drawing level on points with Aston Villa at the top of the standings at this early juncture.
On the other hand, Leipzig has now experienced defeat in seven of their last nine encounters against English teams, marking their third consecutive loss in the UEFA Champions League, which jeopardizes their prospects for advancement.
SportsLigue
