Soccer Football - Bundesliga - RB Leipzig v Bayer Leverkusen - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - January 25, 2025 RB Leipzig's Christoph Baumgartner scores their second goal past Bayer Leverkusen's Lukas Hradecky REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
LEIPZIG, Germany (Reuters) -Champions Bayer Leverkusen wasted a two-goal lead and had to settle for a 2-2 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday as they dropped six points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.
The Bavarians are on 48 points after winning 2-1 at Freiburg with Leverkusen in second place on 42.
It all started perfectly for Xabi Alonso's visiting Leverkusen, who lost 2-1 at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday and were keen to bounce back ahead of their last first phase match at home to Sparta Prague next week.
Florian Wirtz, who twice hit the woodwork, continued his sensational form this season when he dribbled past three Leipzig players and hit the post before Patrik Schick drilled in the rebound to give Leverkusen an 18th-minute lead.
Wirtz then forced Peter Gulacsi into a fine save, with the keeper tipping his shot onto the post, before the Germany international set up Aleix Garcia to tap home the second goal in the 36th.
"Today he (Wirtz) had four, five world class moves," Alonso told a press conference. "It is a pleasure to see him play and help him."
Leipzig launched their comeback four minutes before the break through David Raum's free kick and should have levelled when Benjamin Sesko found himself with the ball in front of goal in the 71st but his shot was blocked by keeper Lukas Hradecky.
Leipzig needed the help of Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba to level in the 85th after he headed a cross in for a spectacular own goal.
"The result could be better as well as worse," Alonso said. "We had our chances to score a third goal. We could have killed off the game. It is a pity but it is tough to come here after our game in Madrid. We need to keep going."
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond and Ken Ferris)
