RB Leipzig survived a frantic Champions League night against PSV Eindhoven, winning 1-0 in a match full of openings but remarkably short of finishing. Gruda’s second-half strike, helped by a slight Ivan Perisic deflection, finally separated the sides and gave Leipzig as many points as they collected throughout the whole of the 2024-25 campaign.
Key takeaways
- Gruda scored the only goal from the edge of the penalty area after Perisic altered the flight of his shot.
- PSV missed a penalty when Perisic’s centrally placed effort was stopped by Vandevoort’s foot.
- Baku conceded the spot-kick after handling the ball while attempting to challenge without tracking its path.
- Kovar produced an important save to deny Baku at the other end.
- PSV had an Obispo goal ruled out for offside, while substitute Yarek headed against the crossbar.
A night of chances, but only one finish
The meeting had appeared set up for an open contest, with both teams creating opportunities in waves. Instead, the attacking players repeatedly found a way to miss, with Nusa and Nkunku among those unable to turn promising moments into goals.
Leipzig goalkeeper Kovar was required early on to make a full-stretch intervention against Baku, preserving the clean sheet in a match where neither defence was able to fully settle.
Baku’s evening then swung in the opposite direction. In attempting to contest a ball, he jumped without properly watching it and left an arm behind him. The ball struck his hand and, after checking the incident at the pitchside monitor, the referee awarded PSV a penalty.
Perisic had the chance to put the Dutch side ahead, but his attempt down the middle was met by Vandevoort, who blocked with his foot. It was a defining escape for Leipzig and one PSV would regret as the match moved on.
Gruda delivers, PSV cannot find a reply
With the stalemate increasingly feeling unlikely given the volume of chances, Gruda provided the breakthrough. Receiving possession outside the box, the German struck towards goal and saw the ball take just enough of a touch from Perisic to wrong-foot the goalkeeper.
PSV responded with urgency and thought they had restored parity through Obispo, only for the effort to be disallowed for offside. Yarek, introduced from the bench, then came closest to rescuing a point when his header struck the crossbar.
There would be no late equaliser. Leipzig held on for a narrow victory built on a rare moment of precision in a game that produced plenty of threat, a missed penalty and repeated near-misses, but only one goal.
