RB Leipzig began their 2023/24 UEFA Champions League campaign with a hard-earned win away to Swiss champions Young Boys.
2023/2024 UEFA Champions League
1-3
Match Report
On a three-match winning run in the Bundesliga, Leipzig made a flying start at the Stadium Wankdorf. After sights of goal for Yussuf Poulsen and Xaver Schlager, Mohamed Simakan met a David Raum corner to give his team a third-minute lead. Xavi and Benjamin Henrichs flashed long-range efforts wide, before Youngs Boys levelled very much against the run of play through Meschak Elia's fine outside-of-the-boot strike.
Anthony Racioppi pulled off a smart double save from Poulsen and Loïs Openda after the restart. Openda then shot wide, before being thwarted by another strong Racioppi save. Benjamin Šeško made an immediate impact with a fine solo run and finish, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Leipzig's persistence eventually told when Schlager fizzed in a shot from range. Šeško added the gloss at the end of a late counter to secure Marco Rose's team a deserved three points ahead of their next Group G fixture at home to holders Manchester City on 4 October.
Match stats
Simakan's goal was the first of the 2023/24 Champions League.
Schlager scored his first Champions League goal.
Leipzig are playing in the Champions League for the sixth time since their maiden promotion to the Bundesliga in 2016. They have reached the knockouts on three occasions, including the 2019/20 semi-finals.
Aged 20 years and 111 days, Šeško becomes Leipzig's youngest Champions League scorer. Jean-Kevin Augustin was 12 days older when he scored against Porto in October 2017.
Leipzig have won their last five Champions League group games - a club record run.
Die Roten Bullen are averaging 2.66 goals per game in the Champions League groups under Rose (15 across six games). They've scored two or more in their last five at this stage.
Line-ups
BSC Young Boys XI: Loris Benito, Saidy Janko, Cedric Itten, U.García, Sandro Lauper, Racioppi, Meschack Elia, Filip Ugrinic, Mohamed Camara, Cheikh Niasse, Aurèle Amenda
Subs: Lustenberger, Jean-Pierre Nsame, David von Ballmoos, Ganvoula, Dario Marzino, Kastriot Imeri, Darian Males, Joël Monteiro, Noah Persson, Lewin Blum, Miguel Chaiwa, Lukasz Lakomy
Leipzig XI: Forsberg, Janis Blaswich, Kampl, Poulsen, Henrichs, Schlager, David Raum, Openda, Mohamed Simakan, Castello Lukeba, Xavi Simons
Subs: Gulacsi, Christopher Lenz, Werner, Christoph Baumgartner, Fabio Carvalho, Nicolas Seiwald, Benjamin Sesko, Tim Köhler