RB Leipzig stumbled to a 1-1 draw at Werder Bremen in their last Bundesliga game of the year on Tuesday, leaving them provisionally third as the league goes into a winter break later this week.
After hitting the woodwork early in the game through Castello Lukeba, Leipzig, with captain Emil Forsberg playing his last game before moving to the MLS in the United States in January, went in front when Lois Openda struck two minutes into the second half.
The Belgium international needed three consecutive efforts to beat Werder keeper Michael Zetterer who blocked his first two shots before he stabbed the ball in for his 11th goal of the campaign.
Werder also hit the crossbar through Marvin Duksch in the 56th minute before Zetterer, outstanding throughout, came to the rescue once more, denying Openda in a one-on-one as he attempted to round the keeper.
The hosts grabbed the equaliser in the 75th with a sensational 20-metre strike from Justin Njinmah.
“Every point is beautiful, especially against such a strong team,” said Bremen forward Leonardo Bittencourt. “And call me crazy, but we should have won.”
Bremen, promoted in 2022 after a year in the second division, have now opened up a six-point gap on the bottom four in what is likely to be a season-long relegation scrap.
Leipzig bid farewell to long-time servant Emil Forsberg, who played his last match for the club before moving to New York Red Bulls after nine years in Saxony.
“I’m a bit ticked off,” Forsberg told Sky. “I would have loved to win.”
Bremen’s draw was the first time the 2004 Bundesliga winners have taken a point off any of the top seven teams this season.
Leipzig missed a chance to draw level on points with champions Bayern, who have two games in hand.
Bayern face former coach Niko Kovac’s Wolfsburg on Wednesday, while leaders Bayer Leverkusen are at home to Bochum.
Leipzig, who take on Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 in February, are third on 33 points, two ahead of fourth-placed VfB Stuttgart, who are in action against Augsburg on Wednesday. The league will then break until Jan. 12.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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