Clinical Leipzig cruise to victory over Bremen

RB Leipzig 3-0 Werder Bremen
Goals: 1-0 Klostermann (18'), 2-0 Schick (39'), 3-0 Mukiele (46')

After last week’s impressive result away to Bayern Munich, and with a tricky UEFA Champions League fixture away to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, Leipzig were in no mood to lose their rhythm and immediately set about unpicking the Bremen defence. Dani Olmo fired off the first warning shot in the seventh minute, chipping over the bar from close range, but the opening goal was not long in coming. Angelino’s sweeping free-kick from the right was headed back across goal by Patrick Schick straight into the path of Lukas Klostermann, who was left with a simple tap-in. Bremen sat deep and looked to attack on the break, but aside from a Milot Rashica shot that whizzed over the bar, the visitors rarely looked like troubling Leipzig, who took a comfortable 2-0 lead into the break when Schick headed in from Olmo’s corner.

Matters went from bad to worse for the away side within seconds of the restart when Nordi Mukiele latched onto Konrad Laimer’s long pass over the top, showing a striker’s composure to hold off his marker and tuck the ball into the bottom corner. Their advantage well and truly established, the home side eased off the pedal somewhat as the match progressed, although Timo Werner’s pace continued to cause Bremen considerable headaches at the back. Leipzig were subsequently happy to control the game, keeping their guests at arm’s length without creating many more opportunities themselves, with an Ethan Ampadu header that flashed wide of the post from a corner as close as they came to adding to the scoreline. Bremen brought on Josh Sargent and Johannes Eggestein late on as they sought a way back, but by then the damage had already been done and Julian Nagelsmann’s side deservedly collected another three points.

• Dayot Upamecano made his 100th competitive appearance for Leipzig in this match.
• Bremen defender Theodor Gebre Selassie made his comeback from injury here, featuring for the first time since Matchday 15.
• Leipzig scored in the first half of a Bundesliga game for the first time since Matchday 15, when they beat Fortuna Düsseldorf 3-0.
• Nagelsmann's men have now scored a league-high 14 goals from set-pieces.
• Schick's goal was his sixth in 12 Bundesliga outings.
• Klostermann took his top-flight goal tally to eight, the last two of which he has scored with his weaker left foot.

Watch: Nagelsmann: "Good that Bayern can see us winning!"

Leipzig: Gulacsi - Klostermann (Ampadu 60'), Upamecano, Halstenberg - Mukiele, Sabitzer (c), Laimer (Haidara 60'), Olmo (Forsberg 69'), Angelino - Schick, Werner
Unused subs: Mvogo, Poulsen, Lookman, Nkunku, Wolf, Krauß
Out: Adams (calf), Kampl (ankle), Konate (hamstring), Orban (knee)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann

Bremen: Pavlenka - Gebre Selassie, Veljkovic, Moisander (c), Friedl - M. Eggestein, Vogt (Toprak 61'), Klaassen - Bittencourt (J. Eggestein 81'), Osako (Sargent 65'), Rashica
Unused subs: Kapino, Pizarro, Sahin, Gruev, Groß, Woltemade
Out: Augustinsson (thigh), Bargfrede (calf), Füllkrug (torn ACL), Lang (thigh), Langkamp (knee), Möhwald (knee), Selke (suspended)
Coach: Florian Kohfeldt