Having won back-to-back league matches for the first time since December, Leipzig were big favourites here against lowly Kiel.
A strong start reinforced that tag, though an opener never came their way with Benjamin Sesko firing their best chance wide of the near post. In response, the visitors came close to breaking the deadlock in audacious fashion when Steven Skrzybski attempted to fire over Peter Gulacsi from the centre circle, but the Hungarian stopper recovered to parry the ball to safety.
That was a sign of things to come in an impressive showing from Marcel Rapp’s side, who forced their more illustrious hosts into a series of mistakes in possession.
Having lulled Leipzig into traps, Kiel were unable to punish their sloppiness until the 44th minute, when their dominance was finally rewarded. S
krzybski was released down the right, and squared for the arriving Shuto Machino, who edged ahead of his marker and rifled home as the Storks kept up the league’s only 100% scoring record on the road this term.
Christoph Baumgartner directed a presentable chance wide from a set-piece soon after the restart, but Die Roten Bullen struggled to make an impression in the second period as well.
Any momentum the hosts attempted to generate was stopped in its tracks after a hefty collision between David Zec and Gulacsi, with both players forced off injured as a result - Gulacsi on a stretcher.
Once play resumed, Kiel were caught cold as Nicolas Seiwald released Lois Openda in behind, and the Belgian was tripped by visiting goalkeeper Thomas Dähne.
Five of Sesko’s previous six goals have come at home, and he bagged another here as he coolly slotted home from the penalty spot, setting up a grandstand finish.
Momentum was firmly with Leipzig, but Openda saw his strike ruled out for offside before Dähne denied Baumgartner and Yussuf Poulsen as Kiel held on for a draw that brings them to within three points of the relegation play-off place, even if they failed to win despite opening the scoring for a third successive game.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Steven Skrzybski (Holstein Kiel)