Werner brace fires Leipzig past Hoffenheim

RB Leipzig 3-1 Hoffenheim
Goals: 1-0 Werner (11'), 2-0 Werner (pen. 52'), 3-0 Sabitzer (83'), 3-1 Bicakcic (89')

Leipzig began the game very much with the strut of a side on a four-match winning streak in the Bundesliga, their high press and aggressive tackling suffocating Hoffenheim in the opening exchanges. As such it was no surprise when they broke the deadlock, Werner providing the finishing touch to a brilliant counter-attack following a clever pass from Patrik Schick. They could have extended their lead soon after too, with Werner, Emil Forsberg and Dayot Upamecano all testing Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann as Leipzig threatened to run riot. That they didn't add to the scoreline gave the visitors the glimmer of hope they needed, and from around the half-hour mark Hoffenheim were the better side. They carved out a couple of decent opportunities, and should have equalised when Peter Gulacsi miscued a clearance, but Dennis Geiger could only hit the post.

It proved to be a costly miss, as Leipzig were back at their menacing best at the start of the second half and soon extended their lead when Werner scored from the penalty spot, having been clumsily brought down by Stefan Posch. Hoffenheim brought on striker Ihlas Bebou in response, but in truth Leipzig never looked like relinquishing their lead and could have scored more, with presentable chances for Werner, Forsberg and Christopher Nkunku, who looked unstoppable when he came off the bench. Indeed, the Frenchman was involved in Leipzig's third, which killed the game off late on: his shot at the end of another rapid counter-attack was saved by Baumann, but Sabizter charged in to smash in the rebound. Hoffenheim did reduce the arrears late on, Ermin Bicakcic heading in from a corner, but by then the damage had already been done and Leipzig picked up a fifth consecutive Bundesliga win.

• Werner scored in a fifth successive Bundesliga game for the first time ever and is the only Leipzig player ever to do so in a single season.
• After scoring his first goal for Leipzig against Paderborn last week, Schick now has his first assist.
• Leipzig have now found the net in 15 consecutive top-flight games, a new club record.
• Werner has now scored six of the seven penalties he has taken in the Bundesliga.
• The Germany forward now has 19 goals in all competitions this season, as many as he managed in the entire 2018/19 campaign.
• Sabizter now has six Bundesliga goals this term, and has scored in four of the last five league outings.

Watch: Werner: "We can achieve a lot"

Leipzig: Gulacsi – Klostermann, Ilsanker, Upamecano, Halstenberg – Laimer, Demme (c) – Sabitzer, Schick (Poulsen 61'), Forsberg  (Nkunku 66') – Werner (Wolf 84')
Unused subs: Mvogo, Saracchi, Haidara, Lookman, Cunha, Mukiele
Out: Kampl (ankle), Konate (hamstring), Orban (knee)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann

Hoffenheim: Baumann (c) – Akpoguma, Bicakcic, Posch (Bebou 58') – Kaderabek, Grillitsch, Samassekou, Skov – Geiger (Baumgartner 84') – Adamyan, Kramaric
Unused subs: Pentke, Stafylidis, Nordtveit, Rupp, Ribeiro, Bogarde, Locadia
Out: Belfodil (knee), Hübner (flu), Ochs (ankle), Rudy (suspended), Vogt (calf), Zuber (foot)
Coach: Alfred Schreuder

Watch: Nagelsmann: "Nice to see old friends again"