Leaders Wolfsburg maintain perfect start with RB Leipzig win
Jerome Roussillon scored the only goal as Wolfsburg maintained their 100 per cent winning start to 2021/22 with victory over RB Leipzig.
Wolfsburg 1-0 RB Leipzig
Goals: 1-0 Roussillon (52')
Defences reigned surpreme in the opening exchanges, which was perhaps no great surprise given Wolfsburg and Leipzig conceded the fewest goals in last season's Bundesliga. Indeed, it wasn't until the 38th minute that in-roads were made in the final third, with Christopher Nkunku's 18-yard strike on the turn drawing a comfortable save from Koen Casteels. Andre Silva's flicked header forced the Wolfsburg custodian into an unorthodox stop with his face moments later. Mohamed Simakan attacked the loose ball, but blazed over.
Wolfsburg went one better with their first meaningful attack soon after the restart. Peter Gulacsi was the unwitting architect with a wayward throw out to Renato Steffen. The Leipzig goalkeeper got down to meet the eventual cross, but succeeded only in batting the ball out to Roussillon, who made no mistake with his first-time finish. Emil Forsberg's blushes were spared moments later when his errant back-pass sent Wout Weghorst away, only for the Dutchman to balloon over from inside the box. Forsberg sought immediate atonement with a pair of drives that sailed high and wide. Willi Orban could do no better from a corner, while Maxence Lacroix made a goal-saving challenge at the feet of Silva as Wolfsburg held on for a third straight league win.
Match stats
- Mark van Bommel's Wolfsburg are the only team in this season's Bundesliga to open with three wins.
- Roussillon scored his fifth Bundesliga goal on his 80th appearance.
- Wolfsburg ended a five-game winless run in meetings with Leipzig.
- Leipzig have lost their last five Bundesliga away matches in a row.
- Leipzig committed 12 fouls through the first 45 minutes - the second-highest number in any first half of their Bundesliga history.
- Born on 17 April 2005, unsued Leipzig substitute Sidney Raebiger could have become the second-youngest Bundesliga player ever, behind Borussia Dortmund forward Youssoufa Moukoko.
Line-ups
Wolfsburg: Casteels (c) - Mbabu, Lacroix, Brooks, Roussillon - Schlager (Guilavogui 70'), Arnold - Baku, Philipp (Nmecha 78'), Steffen (Marmoush 88') - Weghorst
Unused subs: Pervan, Bornauw, Brekalo, Vranckx, Mehmedi, Gerhardt
Out: Bialek (knee), Otavio (ankle), Waldschmidt (concussion), William (knee)
Coach: Mark van Bommel
Leipzig: Gulacsi - Klostermann, Orban, Simakan (Brobbey 86'), Gvardiol (Mukiele 86') - Adams (Kampl 86'), Haidara (Laimer 59') - Szoboszlai (Poulsen 68'), Forsberg (c), Nkunku - Silva
Unused subs: Martinez, Henrichs, Raebiger, Wosz
Out: Angelino (thigh), Halstenberg (ankle), Olmo (match fitness), Saracchi (knee)
Coach: Jesse Marsch
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