Leipzig move top with Schalke win

RB Leipzig 4-0 Schalke
Goals: 1-0 Bozdogan (o.g. 31’), 2-0 Angelino (35’), 3-0 Orban (45’+2), 4-0 Halstenberg (pen, 80’)

Perhaps as expected, Leipzig dominated the proceedings from the go, with a wild Suat Serdar effort from some 25 yards the only effort from Schalke in the first half. Julian Nagelsmann’s side set about their business, with a good chance falling to left wing-back Angelino, but instead of shooting, the Manchester City loanee took a touch, allowing it to pop into the hands of Ralf Fährmann. Already on a club-record run of 18 games without a win, things took another painful twist for the Royal Blues when Serdar, plagued by injuries of late, took a knock in midfield and had to go with less than a quarter of the game played. The home side inflicted further misery on the half-hour mark when Emil Forsberg forced an own goal out of substitute Bozdogan before Angelino made amends to double the lead when heading home a Christopher Nkunku cross to the far post. Amadou Haidara had a great chance to make it three before the break after a slick passing move on the edge of the box, but he blasted over unchallenged. Willi Orban made no mistake, though, when he powered a header from Halstenberg’s cross past Fährmann on the stroke of half-time.

Picking up the ball from the back of the net was the last of the action for the Schalke goalkeeper, who was replaced at the break by new signing from Eintracht Frankfurt, Frederik Rönnow. The Royal Blues looked better and finally forced a save out of Peter Gulacsi through Bozdogan, but the game soon settled back into its original rhythm, with Leipzig very much on the front foot. Nordi Mukiele had a golden opportunity to add his name to the scoresheet when Angelino whipped a free-kick across the face of goal, but the wing-back was just inches away unmarked at the far post. Die Roten Bullen had peppered the Schalke goal, with 20 shots during the 90 minutes, before earning a penalty for handball against Matija Nastasic, which Halstenberg confidently converted to ensure Leipzig take top spot on Saturday evening for the first time since January. It also leaves Schalke rooted to the foot of the table, without a point and a -14 goal difference after three games.

• Angelino scored his second Bundesliga goal since arriving in January, with his first also against Schalke in February.
• Former Leipzig captain Orban got his first Bundesliga goal since September 2019. Nine of his 12 in the league have been headers.
• Bozdogan’s own goal was the second in the league this season, after Frankfurt’s Martin Hinteregger against Hertha Berlin on Matchday 2.
• Halstenberg’s goal was his ninth in the Bundesliga, and his third from three penalties taken.
• Schalke are the first team in Bundesliga history to concede 14 goals after three matchdays.
• Nineteen matches without a win extends the Royal Blues’ unwanted club record. Seven successive defeats is also a new low.

Watch: Forsberg: "It was fun today!"

Leipzig: Gulacsi (c) – Orban, Upamecano (Klostermann 71’), Halstenberg – Mukiele, Haidara, Kampl (Henrichs 76’), Angelino (Wosz 82’) – Olmo (Smardzic 82’), Forsberg (Sörloth 71’) – Nkunku
Unused subs: Tschauner, Poulsen, Hwang
Out: Adams (back), Hartmann (knee), Konate (match fitness), Laimer (knee), Martinez (not included), Sabitzer (thigh)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann

Schalke: Fährmann (Rönnow 46’) – Sane, Stambouli, Nastasic – Schöpf, Serdar (Bozdogan 22’), Mascarell (c), Bentaleb, Oczipka – Uth, Paciencia (Ibisevic 46’)
Unused subs: Mendyl, Raman, Rudy, Kutucu, Boujellab, Skrzybski
Out: Harit (not included), Kabak (suspended)
Coach: Manuel Baum

Watch: Mascarell: "We know we'll go in a good direction"