Leipzig stay in fourth despite draw against Kiel | OneFootball

Leipzig climbed to the top four after wins in Zsolt Lőw’s first two Bundesliga games as a head coach. Meanwhile, Kiel are desperate for points as they sit bottom of the standings with only five games left to play in the season.

Lőw replaced Xavi Simons (suspended) with Christoph Baumgartner, while Kevin Kampl is out of the squad because of injury. Kiel’s coach Marcel Rapp makes two changes with David Zec and Steven Skrzybski back in the starting XI.

As expected, it was all Leipzig until Skrzybski nearly chipped Péter Gulácsi in the 10th minute. However, the visitors upped their game since that chance as they held their own for the rest of the first-half.

With their superb record of scoring in every game away from home this season, Kiel’s confidence grew by the minute. And, at the stroke of half-time, they did extend their improbable run with yet another goal on their travels.

Shuto Machino scored his eighth Bundesliga goal of the season following a brilliant play from Kiel’s right flank by Lasse Rosenboom and Skrzybski. The Strokes will now have to score away in Augsburg and Dortmund to end the season with a unique record of a goal in every away game.

Kiel even started the second-half with better attacking intent as they desperately look to climb out of the bottom of the standings. Just after the hour mark, the lively game paused after a head collision between Zec and Gulácsi.

Both players had to be substituted after a five-minute treatment inside the field. Soon after, Leipzig leveled the score thanks to their highly-rated strikers. Benjamin Šeško scored from the spot after Loïs Openda won a penalty-kick.

Openda did score two minutes later, but he was in an offside position. Both teams continued to push for a late winner, but the game ended 1-1. Leipzig stayed in fourth as Mainz also failed to beat Wolfsburg at home. Meanwhile, the solitary point isn’t enough to drag Kiel out of the bottom place.