C. Dingert
Full-time
88'
MODESTE!!!!
Modeste is in behind and one-on-one with Gulacsi. He has to score... no! The Frenchman drags it wide. What a chance!
85'
Substitution
81'
MAN DOWN!
Noel Katterbach signals to the bench after contesting a challenge in the Cologne area. It looks like an abdominal strain - the problem is, the Billy Goats have already used all five of their allotted substitutes.
79'
CHANCES!
Brilliant interplay between Nkunku and Olmo, with the latter slotting his effort inches wide. Werner goes clean through moments later, but blazes over on his weaker left foot. He's kicking himself!
75'
Substitution
75'
Substitution
73'
NO PENALTY
Cologne want a penalty after Anthony Modeste goes down under Lukas Klostermann's outstretched leg. It's initially awarded, but a VAR review confirms the Leipzig man got the ball before the man and the decision is overruled. Julian Nagelsmann cuts a relieved figure in the visiting dugout.
70'
SituationPenalty
ReviewFoul?
DecisionNo penalty
68'
CHANCE SQUANDERED
Patrik Schick's final involvement is to head a rebound wide after Timo Horn had thwarted Werner. He's fired off half of Leipzig's efforts on goal, scoring one - solid effort. Midfielder Amadou Haidara is on in a change that should see Werner push up into the lone striker's role.
68'
Substitution
62'
CH-CH-CH-CHANGES
Fresh legs in midfield for both sides: Drexler and Thielmann are on for Cologne; Adams enters the fray for Leipzig.
59'
Substitution
58'
Substitution
58'
Substitution
58'
WORLDIE O'CLOCK
Wowsers! Anthony Modeste gives Cologne a glimmer of hope with a quite brilliant individual goal. He controls a half-hearted clearance on the stretch, swivels and whips an unerring finish beyond Gulacsi's reach from a good 18 yards. Leipzig go up the other end and win a corner, which is cleared only as far as Dani Olmo, who sweeps in with equal aplomb. What a game this is turning out to be!
54'
SituationGoal
ReviewOffside?
DecisionGoal
51'
ROUTE ONE FROM LEIPZIG!
It gets worse for Cologne. Peter Gulacsi comes off his line to claim Florian Kainz's in-swinging free-kick. The Leipzig goalkeeper proceeds to punt the ball into the Cologne half and onto the toe of the unmarked Timo Werner. Horn attempts to narrow the angle, but Leipzig's leading man calmly slots it to the Cologne No.1's left for his 25th Bundeslga goal of the campaign. Anyone with both players in their Fantasy teams will be laughing...
47'
AS YOU WERE
No changes at the start of the second half. Uphill challenge for Cologne - can they get themselves back into this?
Kick-off!
45'
+ 4
LEIPZIG LEAD
Not a tonne of chances, but plenty of entertainment and three very well-taken goals. Leipzig, after a slow start, have their noses in front at the break.
Half-time
45'
+ 2
ALMOST THREE
Angelino is played in behind the Cologne defence by Werner. His cross finds Schick once again, but the Czech striker's goal-bound header clips Leistner and drifts past the far post. Crucial intervention.
39'
NKUNKU FOR 2-1!
What a time to score for Leipzig. It's a stunning clipped finish over the advancing Horn from Christopher Nkunku, but hats off to Konrad Laimer. He held his ground in midfield and picked out the former PSG man with a fabulous through-ball. Leipzig are going third...
36'
LEIPZIG ON TOP
Leipzig have responded well after conceding the early goal. They're bossing possession, and winning the challenges. Cordoba, so effective as a target man with his back to the opposition goal, is proving a big, big miss for Cologne.
34'
STAT ATTACK
The equaliser was Roma-owned Schick's ninth goal in 18 Bundesliga appearances. The assist was Man City loanee Angelino's first since making the switch in January.
27'
ANGELINO'S EYE
Leipzig attack through Werner, the Germany forward occupying a position out wide right on this particular occasion. Cologne only half clear as Angelino collects 40 yards from goal and drifts a brilliantly disguised ball into the box. Schick is unmarked, but has his back to goal and can't direct his header on target.
24'
MODESTE ON
That's a blow for Cologne - Cordoba looked really up for this one, but can't continue. Anthony Modeste, who rescued a point from the bench against Düsseldorf on Matchday 27, is on.
24'
Substitution
20'
SCHICK LEVELS!
Nothing Timo Horn can do about this. Upamecano advances with the ball, working it out wide for Angelino, for whom pin-point crosses are something of a party piece. The ball in is a peach, and the super-lithe Patrik Schick does the rest. Great cross, clinical header - game on!
18'
CORDOBA ON THE DECK
This doesn't look good for Jhon Cordoba. He's on his back, receiving treatment from the physios, after a clash of knees with Dayot Upamecano. Two pretty burly guys - no wonder he's wincing.
14'
CORDOBA CHANCE
Cologne press high, forcing the mistake from Dayot Upamecano. Elvis Rexhbecaj dinks a cute ball onto the head of Cordoba, but it's straight at Gulacsi. Some leap from the Colombian forward, mind.
12'
UP AND OVER FROM SCHICK
Angelino whips in a corner from the right, but Patrik Schick can't keep his attempted header down. The Roma loanee knows he should have done better after out-jumping the entire Cologne defence.
8'
COLOGNE LEAD!
Upset alert as Cologne forge ahead. Florian Kainz slips in Elvis Rexhbecaj, whose initial effort is deflected onto the far post by Peter Gulacsi. The Leipzig players are slow to react, and Jhon Cordoba takes full advantage, thundering the loose ball into the roof of the net on the turn.
5'
WERNER CHANCE!
Superb switch from Christopher Nkunku. Mukiele collects his French compatriot's raking long ball, and crosses for Timo Werner, whose first-time strike is well saved by Timo Horn.
2'
OLD WORK BUDDIES
Markus Gisdol and Julian Nagelsmann were all smiles prior to kick-off. Gisdol had Nagelsmann as his assistant coach at Hoffenheim back in 2012/13, the duo combining to keep the Sinsheimers up via the relegation play-offs.
1'
KICK-OFF!
Under way in Cologne. And how about this for a factoid? It's the first time in 25 years a Bundesliga fixture has been played in the month of June...
Kick-off!
HOME BIRD
Cologne's leading man Jhon Cordoba has 11 goals to show for his 24 Bundesliga appearances in 2019/20. All but one of the Colombian's efforts have come since Gisdol took over as head coach towards the end of November. Nine have been scored on home soil.
THE WERNER FACTOR
Timo Werner is enjoying a career-best season in front of goal, scoring 24 times in his 28 appearances so far this term. He's only scored six times in 2020, with three of those falling in the 5-0 rout of Mainz a week ago, but is still a surmountable five behind Bayern's Robert Lewandowski in the race for the top scorer's cannon.
TABLE TALK
Leipzig will climb above Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Mönchengladbach into third, if they avoid defeat. A win would take them two points above their top-four rivals and to within two of Borussia Dortmund. Goal difference will separate the trio, in the event of a draw, Leipzig's being the superior tally of the lot. Victory for Cologne will bump them up one place to 10th, 10 points clear of the relegation play-off spot with five games to go.
MORE ON THAT COLOGNE TEAM
Markus Gisdol springs a surprise by dropping Kingsley Ehizibue to the bench. Benno Schmitz switches over to the right-hand side of defence, with Noel Katterbach reinstated on the left. As expected, Schalke loanee forward Mark Uth misses out through injury, while Rafael Czichos replaces the suspended Sebastiaan Bornauw.
MORE ON THAT LEIPZIG TEAM
With Marcel Halstenberg suspended, Manchester City loanee Angelino starts at left-back. Tyler Adams makes way at right-back for Nordi Mukiele, while Patrik Schick continues in the lone striker's role, with Yussuf Poulsen still out.
COLOGNE STARTING LINE-UP
Horn - Schmitz, Leistner, Czichos, Katterbach - Skhiri, Hector (c) - Kainz, Rexhbecaj, Jakobs - Cordoba
COLOGNE SUBS
Kessler, Ehizibue, Mere, Drexler, Höger, Schindler, Thielmann, Modeste, Terodde
LEIPZIG STARTING LINE-UP
Gulacsi - Mukiele, Klostermann, Upamecano, Angelino - Sabitzer (c), Laimer - Nkunku, Olmo, Werner - Schick
LEIPZIG SUBS
Mvogo, Orban, Haidara, Forsberg, Adams, Lookman, Wolf, Krauss
GISDOL WARY OF LEIPZIG FIREPOWER
Cologne were second bottom when Markus Gisdol came in to replace Achim Beierlorzer. His first outing was a 4-1 loss to Leipzig, so he knows full well how much punch Die Roten Bullen pack on their day. "Leipzig are a team with a lot of pace," Gisdol said. "They've been dictating play since the Corona break and have created a lot of chances. We’ve been warned, and no-one is taking it lightly. Leipzig have top class players and are battling for Champions League spots. They’re very flexible and can change how they set up during matches. It's a big challenge for us."
BAYERN STILL TOP DOG
Julian Nagelsmann discussed his Leipzig team's inconsistencies since the turn of the year in the build up to the game. "Some players just develop faster than others," the 32-year-old explained. "Our squad hasn't quite progressed at the same rate over the course of the season. Our performances have varied perhaps a bit too much, and we don't necessarily have a full squad to compensate for that. But that's totally normal for such a young team - that's our only difference to Bayern."
COLOGNE EDGING CLOSER TO SAFETY
The Billy Goats have a four-game winless run to address later today. Luckily for them, an impressive tally of eight wins from their previous 10 has given them a healthy seven-point cushion on the relegation play-off spot with six games left for Markus Gisdol's men to play.
WELCOME!
Wins for Dortmund, Gladbach and Leverkusen mean Leipzig go into their meeting with Cologne in fifth place. Julian Nagelsmann's side were the league leaders at halfway, but have won only four of their 11 matches in 2020. They are, however, unbeaten in nine, and only a week ago put five without reply past a Mainz outfit that recently held Cologne to a 2-2 draw. Stay with us for live coverage of Matchday 29's curtain closer at the RheinEnergieSTADION...