Poulsen rescues a point as Leipzig slips up
RB Leipzig's return to Bundesliga action saw it immediately suffer a setback in the title race as it was held to a 1-1 draw by Freiburg, which was denied a late winner by VAR.
In the absence of spectators in its first game since the league was suspended on 13 March because of the coronavirus pandemic, Leipzig dominated matters at Red Bull Arena.
However, Manuel Gulde's 34th-minute interlude to the near-constant Leipzig pressure looked to have secured a surprise win for UEFA Europa League hopeful Freiburg.
Yussuf Poulsen's header in the 77th minute levelled matters but Robin Koch tucked what seemed to be a 93rd-minute winner, only for VAR (video assistant referee) to rule that there had been an offside in the build-up.
The draw leaves Leipzig four points behind Bayern Munich, which has a game in hand, and three adrift of Borussia Dortmund in second place.
Leipzig was on the front foot right from the off and Konrad Laimer went close to opening the scoring in the second minute when he shot narrowly wide from outside the box.
He had been teed up by Christopher Nkunku, who then forced Alexander Schwolow into action with a powerful half-volley that was beaten away by the diving Freiburg goalkeeper.
Schwolow was needed to preserve parity again as he kept out Timo Werner's near-post effort after a rapid counter from the Leipzig talisman.
Yet for all Leipzig's opportunities, it was Freiburg that broke the deadlock with its first shot of the game, although it was debatable how much Gulde knew about it.
He diverted Vincenzo Grifo's corner beyond Peter Gulacsi to give the visitors the lead, which perhaps should have been doubled when captain Christian Gunter fizzed a shot across the face of goal.
Leipzig introduced Ademola Lookman for Nordi Mukiele and, after Marcel Halstenberg tested Schwolow from long range and Poulsen dragged a shot wide, the substitute was guilty of a shocking miss.
Lookman skewed his close-range strike from Kevin Kampl's delivery off target with the goal at his mercy, with Kampl then seeing a goal-bound effort cleared and Poulsen heading wide.
Schwolow made a fine stop with his legs to deny Lookman before further displays of inaccuracy from Poulsen and Lookman, the former redeeming himself with a towering far-post header from a Kampl cross.
Koch converted from Lucas Holer's header across goal from Gunter's free-kick, but Freiburg's celebrations proved premature as Holer was adjudged to have strayed offside.
