Leipzig back on top, Hertha win 1st game without Jurgen

BERLIN, Feb 15, (AP): Leipzig reclaimed top spot in the Bundesliga with a 3-0 win over struggling Werder Bremen, and Matheus Cunha scored on his Hertha Berlin debut to help his new side end a difficult week on a bright note Saturday.

Cunha, who joined Hertha from Leipzig in the winter transfer window, claimed the visitors’ second goal for a 2-1 win at last-place Paderborn, four days after Hertha were shocked by Jurgen Klinsmann’s abrupt resignation as coach.

Leipzig used set pieces to great effect against Bremen. Lukas Klostermann opened the scoring in the 18th minute after Patrik Schick helped on a free kick, and Dani Olmo set up Schick for the second goal off a corner in the 39th.

Nordi Mukiele made it 3-0 seconds after the restart to help Leipzig open a two-point lead over Bayern Munich, which can reclaim top spot on Sunday with a win at Cologne.

Karim Bellarabi scored in injury time for Bayer Leverkusen to grab a 3-2 win at Union Berlin, where the second half was interrupted due to visiting fans setting off flares.

Also, Wout Weghorst scored a hat trick for Wolfsburg to win 3-2 at Hoffenheim. The Dutch striker scored two penalties and gave away another. Freiburg drew at Augsburg 1-1. Erling Haaland scored his ninth goal in six games for Borussia Dortmund as they swept past Eintracht Frankfurt 4-0.

Achraf Hakimi ran the game from right back for Dortmund, cuing up Lukasz Piszczek to score the opening goal. Jadon Sancho made it 2-0 with a solo goal before he and Hakimi combined in the buildup to Haaland’s third.

Six days after the defense allowed two late goals in a 4-3 loss to Bayer Leverkusen, Dortmund’s back line looked much improved against Frankfurt, which had few clear chances in their biggest defeat of the season. Next up are Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday.

“It’s really important, especially that we gave up few chances. I think they had one shot,” Dortmund defender Mats Hummels said. “We were very concentrated and switched on in every position.”

A Europa League semifinalists last season, Frankfurt are having an underwhelming Bundesliga campaign in ninth but have specialized in beating Germany’s top clubs. They hammered Bayern 5-1 in November and have defeated Leipzig twice.

Leipzig’s Patrik Schick (left), plays the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match RB Leipzig against SV Werder Bremen in Leipzig,

Germany on Feb 15. (AP)