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RB Leipzig 2-2 Hertha Berlin: Piatek penalty denies 10-man hosts victory

Krzysztof Piatek's 82nd-minute penalty denied 10-man RB Leipzig victory at home to Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga on Wednesday.

By Ben Spratt
Timo Werner

Leipzig, May 28: RB Leipzig missed the chance to move second in the Bundesliga and take a big step towards Champions League qualification as they were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Hertha Berlin.

Top-four rivals Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen all dropped points on Tuesday (May 26), but 10-man Leipzig could not capitalise 24 hours later.

Julian Nagelsmann's side trailed to Marko Grujic's early strike, although goals from Lukas Klostermann and Patrik Schick – the latter aided by an awful Rune Jarstein error – looked to have clinched a hard-fought victory.

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However, Leipzig had seen Marcel Halstenberg sent off prior to Schick's strike, and Hertha substitute Krzysztof Piatek converted a late penalty to earn a share of the spoils.

The visitors remain unbeaten under new coach Bruno Labbadia, with their relegation fears behind them, but third-placed Leipzig have work to do to secure a return to the Champions League, where they have reached the quarter-finals this term.

Just four points separate Dortmund in second and Leverkusen in fifth after a tough weekend for the European chasers, with leaders Bayern Munich comfortably seven points clear at the top.

Hertha were good value for their point and a lively start produced the opener after just nine minutes as Grujic met Marvin Plattenhardt's left-wing corner full on the volley eight yards from goal, beating the helpless Peter Gulacsi.

A set-piece at the other end saw Leipzig level 15 minutes later, though, with Klostermann darting towards Christopher Nkunku's near-post delivery and nodding across Jarstein into the bottom-left corner.

Captain Vedad Ibisevic could have restored Hertha's lead but blazed over the crossbar when a move down the right cut Leipzig open late in the first half.

Goalmouth action was scarce following the restart, and Leipzig's hopes of victory looked to have been dealt a sizeable blow as Halstenberg earned a second booking for a foul on former team-mate Matheus Cunha.

But Jarstein failed to gather Schick's powerful drive and the ball squirmed over the line, seemingly taking the match away from Hertha.

Ademola Lookman felled Cunha inside the area, however, and Piatek kept his cool from 12 yards to pick out the bottom-left corner and set up a frantic finish in which Labbadia's side could not force a winner.

Story first published: Thursday, May 28, 2020, 8:35 [IST]
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