Stuttgart’s draw with Leverkusen earlier on Saturday meant that Bremen were not yet mathematically safe from relegation prior to kick-off, but they knew that a result here would put an end to any lingering fears of the drop. They had never managed so much as a point away to Leipzig, however, and the home side grew nicely into the game despite a cagey start.
Amadou Haidara was the first to test Jiří Pavlenka, and Die Roten Bullen could have had a beautiful opening goal when Timo Werner brought Konrad Laimer’s cross under his spell, but his lob over the goalkeeper also cleared the bar.
Christopher Nkunku, who had started to regain his form since an injury just before the World Cup, was a threat, but clear-cut chances proved to be at a premium for Leipzig. Szoboszlai did strike the post directly from a corner late in the half, but the visitors made it to HT with hopes of a first clean sheet in 10 games still intact.
Given Bremen’s defensive woes of late, manager Ole Werner would have been happy with his side’s handling of the opening period, and they went on to start the second half brightly, and the match suddenly sprung into life. With green shirts suddenly storming forward, Romano Schmid’s strike flashed just wide, before Nkunku’s counter-attacking goal at the other end was chalked off for a foul in the build up.
Leipzig were made to pay almost immediately after, as Bittencourt met Jens Stage’s cross to guide into the near top corner with Janis Blaswich rooted to the spot.
Predictably, a desperate Leipzig stormed forward in response, and they remarkably turned the result on its head in the last few minutes.
First, a delightful cross from Nkunku looped onto the head of Orbán, who powered in the equaliser, before a cutback from the Frenchman was slotted in by Szoboszlai for an unlikely winner which sent the home crowd into pandemonium, earning three vital points in their top-four push.
Bremen, meanwhile, will be disappointed to relinquish the lead and guaranteed Bundesliga safety, and there may be some nerves in the camp with two matches remaining.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)