RB Leipzig advanced to the DFB-Pokal last 16 with a hard-fought 2:1 (0:1) win at third-division side Rot-Weiss Essen on Tuesday. Substitute Christoph Baumgartner scored a late brace to turn the match around after his team had played with ten men for over 45 minutes.
Martin Demichelis' side suffered an early setback in front of 17,467 spectators at the Stadion an der Hafenstraße. Lucas Brumme capitalised on a defensive error in the 9th minute to put the underdogs ahead. Leipzig's task became even harder when midfielder Nicolas Seiwald was sent off for a second bookable offence just before half-time. "We showed character and got the job done in the end," said coach Demichelis afterwards.
Baumgartner ends the wait
It took over an hour for Leipzig, despite their numerical disadvantage, to create a clear-cut chance. The introduction of Christoph Baumgartner in the 63rd minute proved decisive. The Austrian equalised just fifteen minutes later with a close-range finish. Four minutes after that, he turned in a cross from Antonio Nusa to put Leipzig ahead. Baumgartner sealed the victory in the 82nd minute with a header from a David Raum free-kick.
The cup success comes at a good time for RB Leipzig, who currently sit third in the Bundesliga standings. Demichelis' team has lost only one of its last five league matches. Their next task is a Bundesliga home game against 1. FC Köln on Saturday. The squad remains without Christopher Nkunku and Maxime Estève, with their return dates still uncertain. The full overview of the personnel situation is available on the injuries page.
Prior to the match, there was an incident where unknown individuals concreted shut the access to the away fan section and left anti-RB messages. The blockade was cleared before kick-off. Inside the stadium, Essen fans on the west terrace expressed their disapproval with whistles and a banner. The team was not distracted and battled through to secure their place in the next round. The draw for the DFB-Pokal last 16 will be held this weekend.
On Friday, Christoph Baumgartner confirmed he received a booking in the cup match. "I got the yellow for an unnecessary reaction," the Austrian said. The super-sub was introduced in the 62nd minute and scored both goals in the 2:1 win. RB Leipzig are sixth in the Bundesliga with 12 points.
