Baumgartner's brace secures RB Leipzig victory against HSV

RB Leipzig continued their winning streak against promoted teams thanks to Christoph Baumgartner. The Austrian scored both goals in the 45th and 50th minutes of the 2:1 (1:0) win against Hamburger SV. The Leipzig side thus remained unbeaten in their 38th game against the promoted side (33 wins/5 draws).

In front of 47,800 spectators in the sold-out Red Bull Arena, Albert Sambi Lokonga (48) equalized for HSV, who suffered another setback after picking up seven points from three games. RB climbed to second place for the time being with their sixth game without defeat.

First chance from Raum's free-kick

In the duel between the two youngest Bundesliga coaches, 37-year-old Ole Werner made no changes to his RB starting eleven after the 1-1 draw in Dortmund. HSV coach Merlin Polzin, who is three years younger, was forced to do so after Georgian Giorgi Gocholeishvili got stuck on the post during the week and injured his head.

The first chance came from Leipzig's David Raum (6th) with a free-kick from 18 meters, which only hit the outside of the net. HSV were well positioned at the back and played comfortably in midfield. HSV keeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes then thwarted the deficit when he saved Christoph Baumgartner's shot from five meters after a great RB combination play.

The best HSV chance to take the lead was missed by Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer (36), when he sailed the ball past from close range after an input. Baumgartner (45) did better at the other end when he headed in a Nusa cross to take the lead.

HSV shock RB with equalizer

After the changeover, HSV shocked the Saxons. Lokonga scored the equalizer after a short pass with Miro Muheim. The cheers of the 9,000 or so Hamburg fans had barely died down when Baumgartner put RB ahead again when he scored with his right foot from the left of the penalty area into the near corner. The North Germans did not hide and exerted a lot of pressure on RB. Jean-Luc Dompé (71) smashed a free-kick from 22 meters against the far left post.

HSV captain bids farewell as RB record player

It was a special return for one HSV professional in Leipzig. RB record player Yussuf Poulsen was officially bid farewell before the game with a huge choreography by the Leipzig fans in front of his mother and family, who had traveled to the match. He moved to Leipzig as a 19-year-old in 2013 to join the then third-division club.

In twelve years, the 31-year-old experienced two promotions and helped establish the club in the Bundesliga and reach the Champions League. He won the DFB Cup with RB in 2022 and 2023. He scored 95 goals in 425 games for the Saxons.

Red Bull managing director Oliver Mintzlaff honored the Dane with warm words. "Dear Yussi, thank you for an incredible time here, you are and were the biggest figure of identification and have helped shape this club. After your active career, the door is always open for you here," said Mintzlaff about a future together with Poulsen, who came on as a substitute in the 76th minute.

Xaver Schlager back

Xaver Schlager then celebrated his comeback at RB after a long period of injury when he came on for goalscorer Baumgartner in the 77th minute. It was precisely at this stage that RB began to flounder against the increasingly strong Hanseatic side, but they held on for another victory.