Leipzig fight back to keep pace with Bayern
Second-placed RB Leipzig ended 10-man Hoffenheim’s unbeaten run this season with a 2-1 comeback win in yesterday’s key Bundesliga clash to stay just three points behind leaders Bayern Munich. Hoffenheim were the last undefeated team left in Europe’s top leagues but Marcel Sabitzer’s 77th-minute winner dealt the visitors their first loss of the season after striker Sandro Wagner’s dismissal. With Germany coach Joachim Loew watching, Hoffenheim took the lead at Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena when midfielder Sebastian Rudy, who will join Bayern next season, started a copybook counter-attack from his own box.
Hoffenheim moved the ball quickly until exLeicester striker Andrej Kramaric squared in the Leipzig box to present midfielder Nadiem Amiri with a tap-in on 18 minutes. Leipzig kept their composure and Guinea playmaker Naby Keita forced his way into the Hoffenheim area to lay the ball off as Timo Werner netted his 11th goal this season.
Hoffenheim were reduced to 10 men for the last 30 minutes when Wagner was shown a red card for a clumsy tackle on Leipzig’s Stefan Ilsanker.
Leipzig grabbed the winner when Keita stepped on the gas and passed to Austria international Sabitzer who fired home from 22 metres out.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Bayern stayed top with a 2-1 win at battling Werder Bremen, who put up a fierce second-half fight. Bayern took the lead when Franck Ribery’s pass found Arjen Robben and the Dutch winger curled his shot inside the post from outside the area on 31 minutes. The lead was doubled when David Alaba hit a sweet free-kick which curled inside the post right on the stroke of halftime. But Bremen, who had last scored against Bayern in April 2014, dug deep and put up a spirited display at their Weser Stadion. Germany striker Max Kruse pulled a goal back on 53 minutes and exArsenal winger Serge Gnabry caused lots of problems down the right flank, but Bayern ultimately held on. Cologne battered bottom side Darmstadt 6-1 at home as Japan striker Yuya Osako scored twice in the rout. Ex-Germany midfielder Torsten Frings, Darmstadt’s new coach, cut a frustrated figure as Cologne raced into a 3-0 half-time lead through an own goal by Aytac Sulu, Osako and Anthony Modeste. Darmstadt’s Sidney Sam netted a second-half penalty before Osako, ex-Dortmund midfielder Milos Jojic and Latvia striker Artjoms Rudnevs netted for Cologne. — AFP