Timo Werner at the double as Leipzig edge out Hannover
Timo Werner opened his account for the new season by netting a brace as RB Leipzig overcame Hannover 3-2 in an entertaining match at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Leipzig 3-2 Hannover
Goals: 1-0 Poulsen (9'), 1-1 Füllkrug (13'), 2-1 Werner (40'), 3-1 Werner (63'), 3-2 Albornoz (65')
Both teams carried a threat in a lively start to the match but it was the hosts that struck first when Youssuf Poulsen nodded home from Diego Demme’s blocked shot. Hannover responded excellently and were level less than five minutes later when Niclas Füllkrug lashed in a volley from a tight angle, but a defensive mix-up allowed Werner to run onto Emil Forsberg’s pass and restore Leipzig’s lead with a cool finish before the break.
Werner’s tail was up and he doubled his tally for the afternoon when he sidefooted home from another Forsberg pass to put the home side two goals ahead, but Miiko Albornoz reduced the arrears with a stunning strike. USA international Bobby Wood came off the bench for the away side as they sought an equaliser but the home side's defence held firm to close out a first league win of the campaign.
Match stats
- Werner, Poulsen and Füllkrug all scored their first goal of the season.Albornoz also netted his first of the season, and his first ever in the Bundesliga.Leipzig's Werner had scored just twice in his previous nine league games today. Last term he also managed one goal and three assists in the two meetings with Hannover.Ralf Rangnick guided Hannover into the Bundesliga as head coach in 2002.Hannover defender Walace made his Bundesliga debut against Leipzig (for Hamburg) last season, scoring once in a surprise 3-0 victory for HSV.Breitenreiter has now lost all four previous matches as a coach against Leipzig.With just one point from their first two matches before today, Leipzig had got off to their worst start (in any division) in the club's 10-year history.Hendrik Weydandt has scored three times in just 24 minutes of action for Hannover this season.
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Line-ups
Leipzig: Gulacsi – Mukiele, Konate, Orban (c), Saracchi – Kampl, Ilsanker, Demme (Laimer 61'), Forsberg (Sabitzer 74') – Werner (Klostermann, 87'), Poulsen
Unused substitutes: Müller, Upamecano, Bruma, Cunha
Absentees: Augustin (not selected)
Coach: Ralf Rangnick
Hannover: Esser – Sorg (Bakalorz 87'), Anton (c), Wimmer, Albornoz – Bebou, Schwegler, Walace, Maina (Wood 66') – Asano (Haraguchi 66'), Füllkrug
Unused substitutes: Tschauner, Elez, Fossum, Ostrzolek
Absentees: Hübers, Prib (both knee)
Coach: Andre Breitenreiter
Watch: Forsberg happy with "ugly" win!
As it happened