RB Leipzig left to rue Cunha exit as silly fouls on Hertha winger costs them second place in the Bundesliga table
With their capacity to unearth bargains, RB Leipzig have acquired a fine reputation in the transfer market but yesterday they had reasons to rue a recent piece of business and the one who got away.
They sold Matheus Cunha to Hertha Berlin in January and three fouls on the Brazilian winger cost them second place in the Bundesliga.
Marcel Halstenberg committed two of them, getting a caution each time and making an early departure.
Ademola Lookman was responsible for the third, scything down an electric dribbler in the box. Krzysztof Piatek scored the equaliser from the penalty spot and, for the fourth time in five games and the 10th in total this season, the Bundesliga’s draw specialists had shared the points.
Even as Hertha lost their 100 per cent record under Bruno
Labbadia, they showed signs of their improvement.
Leipzig had just gone down to 10 men when Patrik Schick’s shot squirmed out of Rune Jarstein’s grasp and rolled over the line. The eventual draw nonetheless suggested Leipzig could prosper in adversity.
They lost two talismen with their record appearance-maker
Yussuf Poulsen ruled out and then joined on the sidelines by Kevin Kampl when he was injured in the warm-up.
A third attacking threat, Christopher Nkunku, exited when he was sacrificed to bring on an extra defender after Halstenberg’s early departure while Timo Werner, fresh from his hat-trick against Mainz, was altogether quieter. Hertha struck first as they traded set-piece goals. Marvin Plattenhardt’s third assist in two games came in a 10-minute cameo.
He was soon substituted following a clash of heads but only after taking an out-swinging corner that Marko Grujic volleyed in deftly.
Leipzig responded when Lukas Klostermann headed in Nkunku’s right-wing corner to score the first goal against Hertha in Labbadia’s reign. It was a sign of Nkunku’s menace that Hertha had two players booked for fouling him.
Leipzig had Halstenburg cautioned twice for halting Cunha illegally and the Brazilian illustrated his ability against the club who confined him to a bit-part role. The substitute left-back Angelino made a crucial challenge on Cunha while Lookman helped set up Schick’s goal, only to mar his contribution by fouling his former colleague.