Keita double helps Leipzig see off 10-man Darmstadt

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RB Leipzig kept a firm grip on second place with a dominant performance at the Red Bull Arena to ensure a 13th away defeat for relegation-threatened Darmstadt, who had Sandro Sirigu sent off.

RB Leipzig 4-0 Darmstadt

Goals: 1-0 (Keita 12'), 2-0 (Forsberg 67'), 3-0 (Orban 79'), 4-0 Keita (80')

Red card: Sirigu 72'

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Leipzig dominated the opening stages and it barely came as a surprise when they took the lead, Naby Keita meeting a deflected shot from Emil Forsberg on the half-volley to finish from an angle inside the area. Darmstadt, in dire need of a first away win of the season, traded blows with their hosts with Sidney Sam and Fabian Holland going close before half-time.

Shaken by Darmstadt’s spirit, Leipzig turned the screw after the break with Oliver Burke twice seeing efforts denied by Daniel Heuer Fernandes. Forsberg doubled the lead when his long-range effort took a deflection off Patrick Banggaard, and shortly after Darmstadt’s Sirigu was sent off for a second bookable offence. Willi Orban headed home a Forsberg corner, and Keita’s second of the day confirmed Leipzig’s superiority.

Man of the match

Emil Forsberg’s pace tormented Darmstadt all afternoon, and he had a hand in all Leipzig’s other goals either side of his own effort.

Talking point

This victory brought a worrying run of three games without a win to an end for Leipzig, who will visit Mainz on Wednesday with a cushion of four points over third-placed Hoffenheim.

Match stats

    Goalkeeper Fabio Coltorti, who made his Bundesliga debut for Leipzig, scored an injury-time winner against Darmstadt in a Bundesliga 2 meeting between the two sides on 28 April 2015, and at 36 is Leipzig's oldest Bundesliga player.The Lilies have lost all 13 away matches this campaign.Keita scored for the first time since 25 November.

Line-ups

RB Leipzig: Coltorti - Bernardo, Orban (c), Compper, Halstenberg - Keita, Ilsanker, Demme, Sabitzer (Kaiser 78')- Forsberg (Khedira 81'), Burke (Poulsen 68')

Coach: Ralph Hasenhüttl

Darmstadt: Fernandes - Fedetskiy (Kamuvuaka 21'), Sulu (c), Banggaard, Holland (Steinhöffer 75')- Altintop, Vrancic, Heller (Guwara 66'), Sam, Sirigu - Schipplock

Coach: Torsten Frings

Watch: Forsberg: "I need to score more!"

Head here for the RB Leipzig vs. Darmstadt Match Center!