RB Leipzig secured a convincing victory over FC Augsburg on Saturday, thanks in part to a goal and an assist from Xavi Simons. It was Leipzig's first league win in a month and a great boost ahead of their upcoming Champions League clash with Juventus.
RB Leipzig finally returned to winning ways in the Bundesliga, securing a dominant 4-0 victory over FC Augsburg at home after a month without a league win, their last triumph dating back to August 31 against Bayer Leverkusen.
Marco Rose’s side looked rejuvenated, with Lutsharel Geertruida and Xavi Simons starting and both making an immediate impact. Within the first 15 minutes, Leipzig were already 2-0 up. Benjamin Sesko opened the scoring with a powerful strike from outside the box after just 11 minutes. Shortly after, Sesko doubled the lead, heading home a cross to cap off an impressive early spell.
Augsburg had a chance to pull one back through a penalty awarded to captain Jeffrey Gouweleeuw, but Leipzig goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi denied the effort, keeping the visitors scoreless. Leipzig continued to push forward, and shortly after halftime, Loïs Openda extended their lead. The Belgian striker, formerly of Vitesse, was set up by Xavi Simons and finished calmly to make it 3-0. Ten minutes later, Simons added a goal of his own. A flick-on from Sesko found the Dutch international, who slotted home to seal the 4-0 victory. The result not only ended Leipzig’s winless streak but also gave them confidence ahead of their upcoming Champions League clash against Juventus in four days.
VfL Wolfsburg 2 - 2 VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart were looking to maintain their momentum following a resounding victory over Borussia Dortmund the previous week, as they visited Wolfsburg at the Volkswagen Arena. Despite their ambition, it was the home team that struck first after twenty minutes, with Jonas Wind finishing off a pass from Mohamed Amoura to make it 1-0. Stuttgart, however, responded just over ten minutes later, when Enzo Millot converted a penalty in two attempts after his first was saved, leveling the score at 1-1.
Stuttgart faced a setback after an hour of play when their captain, Atakan Karazor, was sent off with a second yellow card. Wolfsburg quickly capitalized on their numerical advantage, with Amoura scoring his second of the match, placing a well-taken shot into the far corner past Alexander Nübel. Just when it seemed Wolfsburg would take all three points, Stuttgart found a last-gasp equalizer in extra time, courtesy of Deniz Undav, who volleyed home to secure a dramatic 2-2 draw. Stuttgart will now shift their focus to a crucial Champions League fixture against Sparta Prague on Tuesday.
Borussia Mönchengladbach 1 - 0 Union Berlin
Union Berlin, undefeated in the Bundesliga up until this weekend, suffered a late blow during their visit to Borussia Mönchengladbach. Despite a strong showing, Union Berlin were denied a point in the dying moments of the match when substitute Tomas Cvancara headed in a goal in the sixth minute of extra time, securing a 1-0 victory for the home side at Borussia-Park. Danilho Doekhi started for Union Berlin, while former PSV player Yorbe Vertessen came on as a substitute. The defeat dropped Union Berlin to ninth place, just one spot above Mönchengladbach.
FSV Mainz 05 0 - 2 Heidenheim
FC Heidenheim continued their impressive run in the Bundesliga, climbing to fifth place after a well-fought 2-0 win against FSV Mainz 05. Marvin Pieringer headed home the opening goal in the 16th minute, giving Heidenheim an early lead. Mainz’s hopes of a comeback took a major hit when Andreas Hanche-Olsen was sent off with his second yellow card, leaving them a man down for much of the match. Heidenheim also went down to ten men late in the game when Niklas Dorsch received a straight red card, but they held firm and added a second goal through Jan Schoppner in the closing minutes, securing a 2-0 victory.
SC Freiburg 0 - 3 FC Sankt Pauli
Sankt Pauli earned their first Bundesliga win of the season with a stunning 3-0 victory over SC Freiburg. The newly promoted side took control early on, going into halftime with a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Elias Saad and Oladapo Afolayan. Freiburg had a chance to get back into the game when Vincenzo Grifo stepped up to take a penalty, but he missed the opportunity. Sankt Pauli sealed their win in the second half, with Saad scoring his second goal 18 minutes before the final whistle, securing a convincing 3-0 result and a crucial three points for the Hamburg-based club.
Updated: 04:39, 28 Sep 2024