RB Leipzig 1-1 Bayern Munich: Scrappy Marcel Halstenberg goal earns point against league leaders in Bundesliga's return

Leaders Bayern Munich were held to a 1-1 draw by title challengers RB Leipzig as the Bundesliga made its long-awaited return.

After a break of 68 days without a league game, Julian Nagelsmann’s side quickly got back to business, with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting breaking the deadlock in the first half. Marcel Halstenberg levelled after the interval.

The visitors asked all the questions in the opening period, with Serge Gnabry hitting the post in the ninth minute.

Joshua Kimmich had the ball in the back of the net for the visitors on the half-hour mark but it was ruled out with Matthijs de Ligt deemed to be offside and interfering with play.

But just seven minutes later, Bayern finally made the breakthrough, Choupo-Moting prodding home his seventh goal of the season following an inch-perfect cross by Gnabry.

Having made a bright start to the second half, RB Leipzig got their reward with an equaliser when Halstenberg turned in Dominik Szoboszlai’s diving header, beating Bayern’s debutant goalkeeper Yaan Sommer.

With Leipzig growing in confidence and Bayern faltering, the visitors could have had Dayot Upamecano sent off when he cynically fouled Szoboszlai, but the referee adjudged that the defender wasn’t the last man.

A winning goal remained elusive despite both sides going for the jugular. The result sees Bayern extend their lead at the top to five points, but SC Freiburg have the chance to close the gap to two away to Wolfsburg on Saturday. RB Leipzig remain third, six points behind the pacesetters.

RB Leipzig ended 2022 with an eight-game unbeaten run, a streak that had many labelling them as serious title contenders. What’s more, they have the best home record in the Bundesliga this season, so this was built up to be a challenging game for Nagelsmann’s charges. However, having failed to win any of their last eight league matches against the Bavarian giants, their record against Bayern Munich was a concern. And without talisman Christopher Nkunku and with Timo Werner fit enough only for the bench, their task was made even more difficult.

Bayern may have been missing players of their own, with Sadio Mane still absent with the injury that ruled him out of the World Cup, but ultimately, they still had too much for their opponents in the first half. RB Leipzig, however, emerged as a side transformed after the break, playing with purpose and verve, and they were well worth their point in the end.

Trailing the leaders by six points in the table, this was a game Marco Rose’s side could ill afford to lose, so they will be happy the result. Nagelsmann, you would imagine, given the pressure his side faced in the second half, will also be satisfied with the draw.

The 22-year-old's intelligent runs, direct running and pace helped his side turn the screw on Bayern Munich in the second half

RB Leipzig: Blaswich 6, Simakan 7, Orban 7, Gvardiol 6, Halstenberg 7, Laimer 6, Schlager 7, Szoboszlai 8*, Olmo 6, Forsberg 6, Silva 6.. subs: Haidara N/A, Klostermann N/A, Raum N/A

Bayern Munich: Sommer 6, Pavard 7, Upamecano 6, De Ligt 6, Davies 6, Kimmich 7, Goretzka 7, Sane 6, Musiala 6, Gnabry 8, Choupo-Moting 8.. subs: Werner 5, Coman 5, Muller N/A, Tel N/A.

9’ - OFF THE POST! Laimer gives the ball away cheaply in midfield and Bayern almost make him pay. Three passes later, Gnabry is through on goal, he launches a shot which takes a deflection off the sliding Gvardiol and cannons off the post. A let off for RB Leipzig.

32’ – BAYERN GOAL DISALLOWED: Bayern free-kick is floated to the back post. Pavard scoops it into the middle, it's flicked on by Choupo-Moting and Goretzka nods it into the back of the net despite Blaswich's best efforts. However, the referee immediately signals that it won't count. VAR is going to have a look, though... Indeed, the goal won't stand. De Ligt, who didn't touch the ball but is adjudged to have been involved in play, was offside in the build-up.

37’ - GOAL! RB LEIPZIG 0-1 BAYERN MUNICH (ERIC MAXIM CHOUPO-MOTING): The breakthrough! Gnabry leads a Bayern charge down the left wing, he has Davies on the overlap - but he doesn't need him. He bends an inch-perfect cross to the back post, finding Choupo-Moting who prods it home for his seventh goal of the season.

52’ - GOAL! RB LEIPZIG 1-1 BAYERN MUNICH (MARCEL HALSTENBERG): RB Leipzig are level! Silva stands up a cross from the right, picking out Szoboszlai, whose diving header is turned into the net by Halstenberg!

66’ - YELLOW CARD - BUT SHOULD IT BE RED? Upamecano completely misses the ball and takes out Szoboszlai - but was he last man? The referee brandishes a yellow card, but VAR is going to have a look at this...