Leipzig survive Wolfsburg test as Bakayoko’s strike separates the sides

A Johan Bakayoko goal in the first seven minutes ensured another big win for Leipzig on a 1-0 shoreline.

RB Leipzig secured a 1-0 win this afternoon and required all of seven minutes to take the lead in Lower Saxony as Rômulo, who  previously had a goal from a corner routine ruled out, turned provider for Johan Bakayoko to drill a low shot past Grabara into the bottom-right corner. 

Wolfsburg had a momentary appeal for a penalty approaching the 20th-minute as Kilian Fischer’s effort struck Assan Ouédraogo. However, nothing materialised as penalty cries were dismissed by arbiter Robin Braun after a VAR review.

Die Roten Bullen’s Belgian winger had opportunities to add to his tally around half-hour but he failed to beat Grabara on this occasion, while his next effort deflected over the bar. Konstantinos Koulierakis headed wide for the hosts on the stroke of the interval. 

Paul Simonis replaced Patrick Wimmer at the break as Adam Daghim entered the fray. The game took on a scrappy existence thereafter – Jonas Wind failed to properly test Gulacsi from a fine chance as David Raum couldn’t replicate his freekick magic he showed against Köln. 

Further sniffs at goal fell the way of Die Wölfe.  Dejan Pejcinovic’s thumping header on 74 minutes beat Gulacsi but rattled the aluminium, while substitute Christian Eriksen couldn’t find his range moments later. The game would ultimately go down to the wire.

In a cruel twist of fate, it appeared as if Wolfsburg’s gallant battle to restore parity would be undone by VAR as Joakhim Mæhle shoved Bakayoko over in the box. Christoph Baumgartner failed to convert from the penalty, but Bakayoko’s strike remained the difference in the end.