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Ten Man Leipzig Complete Incredible Comeback Against Essen
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- Ten Man Leipzig Complete Incredible Comeback Against Essen
RB Leipzig survived one of their toughest nights of the season as Christoph Baumgartner scored twice in four minutes to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory over Rot-Weiss Essen and send Martín Demichelis' side into the DFB-Pokal round of 16.
Trailing after a disastrous early goalkeeping error and reduced to ten men before half-time, Die Roten Bullen looked destined for an embarrassing elimination against their third-division opponents.
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But Baumgartner, who only recently returned from a lengthy injury absence, produced another decisive performance off the bench, scoring in the 78th and 82nd minutes to complete a remarkable turnaround.
Nyland Error And Seiwald Red Card Leave Leipzig In Trouble
Leipzig's evening could hardly have started worse.
In the ninth minute, Castello Lukeba played a routine backpass towards Ørjan Nyland, but the Norwegian goalkeeper slipped while attempting to reach the ball. Lucas Brumme reacted immediately, rounded Nyland, and finished into the empty net to give Essen a shock lead.
The mistake was particularly frustrating given Demichelis' decision to retain Nyland in goal after his appearance against Elversberg.
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Leipzig dominated possession but struggled to turn that control into meaningful attacking opportunities. Essen defended aggressively, closed passing lanes through midfield and repeatedly forced the visitors into harmless circulation outside the penalty area.
Then, in the 44th minute, the situation deteriorated further.
Nicolas Seiwald received a second yellow card after a late challenge on Ruben Reisig, leaving Leipzig a goal behind and a player short for the entire second half.
At the interval, the Bundesliga side were staring at an early cup exit.
Demichelis' Substitutions Change Everything
Demichelis responded immediately, introducing Brajan Gruda and Neil El Aynaoui at half-time to give the Red Bulls fresh options in possession.
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Despite their numerical disadvantage, Leipzig began playing with greater urgency and eventually found ways to stretch Essen's defensive structure.
Tidiam Gomis came close in the 59th minute after beating two opponents, only for goalkeeper Jakob Golz to deny him at the near post. Rômulo then narrowly missed the target two minutes later.
The decisive changes arrived in the 62nd minute, when Demichelis introduced Antonio Nusa and Christoph Baumgartner.
Nusa immediately gave the away side a more direct threat from the left, while Baumgartner's movement inside the penalty area provided the attacking presence that had been missing.
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In the 78th minute, Nusa delivered from the left, and Baumgartner converted to bring Leipzig level.
Four minutes later, the Austrian struck again, this time with a header, turning a seemingly hopeless situation into a 2-1 advantage.
Essen had spent much of the evening frustrating Leipzig, but two moments of quality from Baumgartner were enough to overturn their lead.
Baumgartner's Comeback Keeps Getting Better
Baumgartner Reveals Heartbreak Behind His Leipzig Comeback
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For Baumgartner, the brace marks another remarkable chapter in his return from injury.
The 27-year-old missed approximately four and a half months after suffering an injury that also ruled him out of the 2026 World Cup.
He made his comeback against Real Madrid in the Champions League last week, providing an assist for Tidiam Gomis, before scoring in Saturday's 4-0 Bundesliga victory over Elversberg.
Now, just days later, he has delivered two goals to rescue Leipzig's DFB-Pokal campaign.
Three appearances, three direct contributions to the Red Bulls' goalscoring performances, and an increasingly convincing reminder of what the Austrian brings to Demichelis' squad.
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The victory also carries significance beyond Baumgartner's individual performance.
Leipzig had struggled badly away from home this season, suffering heavy defeats against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Their first-half display in Essen suggested those problems were continuing, particularly when opponents disrupted their build-up and forced them into uncomfortable situations.
However, the response after Seiwald's dismissal showed a resilience that had been missing from some of those previous away performances.
Demichelis will have plenty to address, especially the lack of attacking penetration before his substitutions and the individual errors that almost ended Leipzig's cup run.
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But after everything that happened at the Stadion an der Hafenstraße, Die Roten Bullen leave Essen with the result that matters most: qualification for the last 16.
From here the stage only gets bigger.
