Eintracht Frankfurt missed a chance to finish second after goals from Benjamin Sesko and Lois Openda gave Leipzig a 2-1 home win in the 14th round of the Bundesliga on Sunday.
The Red Bulls thought they had made the perfect start, but Christoph Baumgartner's goal was ruled out for offside in the opening minute.
Leipzig relinquished control but looked the more dangerous side, and the host opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp parried Baumgartner's shot into the path of Sesko, who nodded home.
Marco Rose's side gained momentum but lacked precision as Trapp denied Sesko and Openda in quick succession. Willi Orban came close in the 22nd minute but headed just wide.
Pascal Gross (L) of Borussia Dortmund vies with Arthur Chaves of TSG Hoffenheim during the German first division Bundesliga football match between Borussia Dortmund and TSG Hoffenheim in Dortmund, Germany, Dec. 15, 2024. (Photo by Joachim Bywaletz/Xinhua)
The visitor threatened for the first time at the half-hour mark when Hugo Larsson tested Leipzig goalkeeper Maarten Vandervoordt. That chance boosted Frankfurt's confidence, and they piled on the pressure before the break. Omar Marmoush nearly leveled with a free-kick that hit the crossbar.
Frankfurt got their equalizer on the stroke of halftime when Can Uzun's through ball found Nathaniel Brown, who fired past Vandervoordt from 14 meters.
Frankfurt's joy was short-lived as Leipzig made another bright start after the restart. Openda capitalized on a flicked-on corner to volley home in the 51st minute.
The hosts kept men behind the ball to protect their narrow lead, while Frankfurt struggled to create danger up front. Marmoush and Arthur Theate had late chances, while at the other end Andre Silva fired straight at Trapp in stoppage time.
With the defeat, Eintracht Frankfurt slips from second to third, while Leipzig remains fourth.
"The boys gave their all and deserved to win. We have taken a step forward and I hope it will last," said Leipzig coach Rose.
Elsewhere, Stuttgart extended their winning streak to four games after a 3-1 victory over relegation-threatened Heidenheim, while Jacob Bruun Larsen's last-gasp equalizer secured Hoffenheim a 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund