bundesliga

Angelino and Yussuf Poulsen keep RB Leipzig top with victory in Augsburg

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RB Leipzig cemented pole position in the Bundesliga on Saturday with Angelino and Yussuf Poulsen earning them a 2-0 win at Augsburg in a top-of-the-table clash in Bavaria.

Augsburg 0-2 Leipzig
Goals: 0-1 Angelino (45'), 0-2 Poulsen (66')

Both teams took to the turf as the top two in the Bundesliga, and with reputations to live up to. While some may have been surprised to see Augsburg near the summit after three matchdays, the sight of Leipzig blazing a trail was far less of a shock. Yet both went shoulder to shoulder and the hosts had the first big chance after half an hour, when Tobias Strobl could only glance an inswinging free-kick wide, perhaps surprised to have been afforded so much space by such a formidable backline just a few yards out. Defences were otherwise on top of their duties, until Leipzig took the lead late in the first half. Dani Olmo lifted a delightful cross to the far post, where Angelino was able to nod in unmarked.

Augsburg coach Heiko Herrlich gave his team ten more minutes to convince him they were up to the task before making three attack-minded substitutions. They had some defending to do first, though, when Dayot Upamecano almost scrambled the ball in, but for a last-ditch goalline clearance from Mads Pedersen. Leipzig substitute Poulsen had an immediate impact on the game, on the other hand, as he sweetly volleyed Dani Olmo's pass into the far corner of Rafal Gikiewicz's goal to double Leipzig's lead in quite some style. Augsburg could not recover and Angelino, Poulsen and Upamecano all had further chances to seal the deal for the league leaders before Florian Niederlechner summed up Augsburg's afternoon by squandering a one-on-one opportunity on the break, and Michael Gregoritsch had a last-gasp goal struck off for offside.

Match stats

  • Leipzig are the only club to have scored four headed goals in the Bundesliga so far this season.
  • Poulsen scored his first ever Bundesliga goal against Augsburg four years ago
  • Leipzig set a new club record with their ninth straight away match unbeaten in the Bundesliga.
  • Die Roten Bullen won both fixtures against Augsburg last season, and have now only lost one of nine to the Bavarian club.
  • Die Fuggerstädter's five goals so far this season have come from five different scorers.
  • Angelino may stand at just 5'6" (1.7m), but he already has two headed goals this season.

Watch: Angelino: "Dani Olmo knew I would be at the back post"

Line-ups

Augsburg: Gikiewicz - Framberger, Gouweleeuw (c), Uduokhai, Pedersen - Hahn (Vargas 54'), Khedira (Richter 75'), Strobl (Gruezo 54'), Caligiuri - Jensen (Niederlechner 54') - Gregoritsch
Unused subs: Koubek, Gumny, Suchy, Bazee, Oxford
Out: Finnbogason (thigh), Moravek (muscular)
Coach: Heiko Herrlich  

Leipzig: Gulacsi (c) - Klostermann, Upamecano, Halstenberg - Mukiele, Adams, Henrichs, Angelino (Kluivert 90') - Olmo (Hwang 79'), Forsberg (Poulsen 66') - Nkunku (Sörloth 90')
Unused subs: Tschauner, Orban, Konate, Samardzic, Kampl
Out: Haidara (not included), Hartmann (knee), Laimer (knee), Sabitzer (thigh)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann