January 22, (THEWILL) – RB Leipzig ended their UEFA Champions League drought with a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Sporting CP at the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday evening. The win marks their first success in the competition after six consecutive defeats.
The German side, despite being eliminated from the tournament earlier, demonstrated their competitive spirit through an impressive attacking display. Benjamin Sesko opened the scoring in the 19th minute, converting a precise cutback from David Raum, who made a notable return following an extended injury absence.
The match continued to provide excitement, with Raum having a goal disallowed, while Amadou Haidara came close to extending Leipzig’s advantage when his powerful shot struck the woodwork in the second half.
Sporting, requiring three points to remain in contention for a top-eight position, found their equaliser through Viktor Gyokeres. The forward managed to outmanoeuvre Willi Orban before finding the net with 15 minutes remaining on the clock.
However, Leipzig’s response proved swift and decisive. Within three minutes, Yussuf Poulsen restored the home team’s advantage, bundling the ball across the goal line to establish what would become the winning margin.
The result leaves Sporting CP in a challenging position, occupying 19th place with 10 points as Wednesday’s UCL fixtures continue across Europe. The Portuguese club’s aspirations for advancement in the competition have been significantly impacted by this defeat.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
