Leipzig's Nkunku rescues 2-2 draw with late strike against Gladbach

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - RB Leipzig v Borussia Moenchengladbach - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - February 1, 2020 RB Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Matthias Rietschel DFL regulations prohibit any use of photographs as image sequences and/or quasi-video

RB Leipzig came from two goals down to rescue a 2-2 draw against visitors Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday thanks to Christopher Nkunku's 89th-minute equaliser but were forced to turn over the Bundesliga lead to champions Bayern Munich.

Frenchman Nkunku drilled in the equaliser a minute from the end but the draw meant Leipzig are second place in the standings on 41 points, one behind Bayern who won 3-1 against Mainz 05.

Gladbach stunned the hosts by going 2-0 up with first half goals from Alassane Plea and Jonas Hofmann, who pounced on a Leipzig defensive mistake.

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - RB Leipzig v Borussia Moenchengladbach - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - February 1, 2020 RB Leipzig's Dayot Upamecano in action with Borussia Moenchengladbach's Breel Embolo REUTERS/Matthias Rietschel DFL regulations prohibit any use of photographs as image sequences and/or quasi-video

Leipzig, unable to control their opponents' speed in the first half, got a lucky break five minutes after the restart, with Patrik Schick slotting in after Gladbach keeper Yann Sommer had dropped the ball following a collision with a team mate.

Things took an even worse turn for Gladbach on the hour with scorer Plea sent off for a second booking for dissent on the hour.

Nkunku then found space to fire in the equaliser and rescue a draw for the home team after last week's loss to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - RB Leipzig v Borussia Moenchengladbach - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - February 1, 2020 RB Leipzig's Timo Werner in action with Borussia Moenchengladbach's Stefan Lainer and Yann Sommer REUTERS/Matthias Rietschel DFL regulations prohibit any use of photographs as image sequences and/or quasi-video

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Christian Radnedge)

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - RB Leipzig v Borussia Moenchengladbach - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - February 1, 2020 Borussia Moenchengladbach's Marcus Thuram in action with RB Leipzig's Dayot Upamecano REUTERS/Matthias Rietschel DFL regulations prohibit any use of photographs as image sequences and/or quasi-video

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - RB Leipzig v Borussia Moenchengladbach - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - February 1, 2020 RB Leipzig's Marcel Halstenberg in action with Montpellier's Ambroise Oyongo REUTERS/Matthias Rietschel DFL regulations prohibit any use of photographs as image sequences and/or quasi-video

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - RB Leipzig v Borussia Moenchengladbach - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - February 1, 2020 Borussia Moenchengladbach's Alassane Plea scores their first goal REUTERS/Matthias Rietschel DFL regulations prohibit any use of photographs as image sequences and/or quasi-video