Leipzig mark top-flight debut with thrilling draw at Hoffenheim: Bundesliga round-up

Leipzig's Marcel Sabitzer celebrates scoring the late equalising goal against Hoffenheim. Ralph Orlowski / Reuters

After four promotions in seven seasons, Leipzig made an impressive Bundesliga debut on Sunday, twice coming from behind as Marcel Sabitzer’s equaliser sealed a 2-2 draw at Hoffenheim.

Founded in 2009 by Austrian energy drink firm Red Bull, RasenBallsport Leipzig are widely unpopular among German football fans, due to the commercialism they represent and resentment caused by their sponsor’s deep pockets.

Some fans of Borussia Dortmund, Leipzig’s opponents for their first home league match in a fortnight, plan a boycott.

But under Austrian manager Ralph Hasenhuettl, the talented young Leipzig side, lacking any big-name stars, proved themselves on their debut in Germany’s top flight.

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They had two clear chances in the first half, but fell behind when Hoffenheim’s Lukas Rupp fired home.

The visitors drew level when Leipzig captain Dominik Kaiser scored against his former club on 58 minutes.

Hoffenheim looked to have won the game when Sebastian Rudy’s breakaway led to Mark Uth re-establishing the hosts’ lead on 83 minutes, until Austrian international Sabitzer equalised in the 90th minute.

Earlier, Julian Schieber’s dramatic injury-time winner sealed Hertha Berlin’s 2-1 victory at home to newly promoted Freiburg to claim his first goal since knee surgery in March 2015.

Hertha were cruising to a 1-0 win at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, thanks to Vladimir Darida’s second-half goal before the game burst into life in the final 10 minutes.

Former Dortmund striker Schieber came off the bench with 85 minutes gone and Freiburg drew level with a stunning header from their captain Nicolas Hofler in the 93rd minute.

But Hertha roared back as Schieber latched onto a blocked shot from Japan winger Genki Haraguchi and his crude shot rolled into the goal in the 95th minute.

“It’s a dream for any footballer to score the winning goal in front of home fans shortly before the end, even if it was a scuffed shot,” Schieber said.

Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou, who suffered a double bereavement following the death of his mother and father, was left on Hertha’s bench.

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