Burke nets as RB Leipzig rout Rangers

Scottish international Oliver Burke-his country’s most expensive transfer-netted for Bundesliga side RB Leipzig in their 4-0 hammering of Glasgow Rangers in a friendly yesterday.

Mark Warburton’s Rangers, second in the Scottish Premiership and who play Motherwell in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup next Saturday, were well beaten at the Red Bull Arena.

Striker Timo Werner scored the opener and then set up two more as Denmark’s Yussuf Poulsen netted twice in the rout.

This was Leipzig’s final warm-up for the resumption of the Bundesliga next Saturday and was a confidence booster having been hammered 5-1 by Ajax a week ago in a friendly.

In falling snow and sub-zero temperatures, Werner put the hosts ahead on 21 minutes, rounding Rangers goalkeeper Wes Foderingham to fire home, despite the efforts of Rangers defender Danny Wilson.

Werner then turned provider when his pass put Burke, who cost Leipzig a reported 15 million euros (£13m, $15.8m) from Nottingham Forest in August, into space.

The Scottish international fired home on 43 minutes before being substituted at half-time.

Werner then set up Poulsen on 63 minutes for Leipzig’s third, just after new signing, 18-year-old French defender Dayot Upamecano, came on. Poulsen netted his second with clinical finishing on 80 minutes. Leipzig are second behind Bayern Munich in Germany’s top flight in their debut Bundesliga season, but have a tough start to 2017. They host Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, then play Hoffenheim and Borussia Dortmund with all three opponents in the top six of the German league. — AFP