The muezzin called from the minarets as the first half between RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt came to an end. Amadou Haidara stole the ball in the middle circle, put the ball through an alley, sprinted following it and put Andre Silva on it with feeling. The Portuguese refined the template with a shot under the goal roof.
RB with many regulars in the first eleven
It took a little while for this game to pick up speed. For a while it was not known that the two Bundesliga clubs would test each other. Then the question was unanswered, where to play? Eintracht resides in Dubai, RB in Abu Dhabi, there are 160 kilometers between the two cities. It was agreed on the RB training ground, but because the SGE entourage arrived later than planned, the whistle only started 15 minutes following the time.
But it didn’t matter, because games like this are there for testing. RB coach Marco Rose put a number of regulars in the starting XI, including Janis Blaswich in goal, Willi Orban, Marcel Halstenberg in defence, Emil Forsberg and Dani Olmi in midfield and Andre Silva in attack, supported by the 18-year-old Ohene Kohl.
When the game was still cold, it was drizzling and an unusually cool 20 degrees contributed to the game temperature, Frankfurt took the lead. Jesper Lindström sunk a free-kick into the net off the post.
RB had the game once morest Frankfurt under control until the break
It took the Saxons a while, then they were in. Also keeper Blaswich. After Halstenberg made it 1-1 with a free kick, the goalkeeper saved a shot from Lindström (22′) and a header from Lucas Alario (28′). After these two chances, RB had the game under control until the break.
In the 35th minute, Olmo tested SBU keeper Kevin Trapp with a shot, Halstenberg grabbed the rebound and served Silva the 1-1 on the forehead. Eight minutes later, Silva scored once more.
For the second half, both coaches changed vigorously. Players like Konrad Laimer, Yussuf Poulsen, Dominik Szoboszlai, Kevon Kampl and Lukas Klostermann were used at RB, as well as the three youngsters Aris Bayindir, Max Vogt and Daniel Ihendu.
Of course, this was not without consequences. Frankfurt came close to equalizing. Klostermann prevented the 2:2 with a shot by Sebastian Rode (64th). Five minutes later, Rafael Borré successfully converted a Timothy Chandler assist with a shot into the far corner. Just a minute later, this time Kolo Muani turned the game around following a counterattack. The French put the lid on the game 15 minutes later.
