Leipzig back on top with Schalke win

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RB Leipzig regained their three-point advantage at the Bundesliga summit for another week after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over FC Schalke 04 on Saturday evening, their eighth successive league win.

RB Leipzig 2-1 FC Schalke 04

Goals: 1-0 Werner (pen. 2'), 1-1 Kolasinac (31'), 2-1 Kolasinac (o.g. 47')

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If FC Bayern München were hoping Leipzig would crumble under the pressure that comes with being top of the table they were sorely disappointed early on, as the newly promoted outfit were as lively as ever at home to Schalke. Indeed, they scored within the opening two minutes for a second consecutive game when in-form Timo Werner slotted in a penalty, his fifth goal in his last four outings. The Royal Blues needed a while to recover, but managed to equalise when Sead Kolasinac poked in the rebound after Leon Goretzka's shot was saved.

Kolasinac went from hero to villain early in the second half, however, inadvertently heading in Emil Forsberg's free-kick to put the hosts back in front. Schalke, unbeaten in seven Bundesliga games prior to this fixture, regrouped and sought a way back but were repeatedly frustrated by a miserly home defence. Leipzig's Marcel Halstenberg went closest to adding to the scoreline, but his header glanced off the bar. The visitors were unable to make the most of that reprieve, though, allowing Leipzig to comfortably see the victory over the line.

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- © imago / Jan Huebner

Talking point

Ralph Hasenhüttl's charges are top of the pile for a third consecutive week, setting things up nicely for what is promising to be pivotal clash with Bayern on 21 December.

Match stats

    Werner took and scored his first-ever penalty in the Bundesliga.Leipzig have scored seven goals in the opening 15 minutes this season – more than any other side.This was Schalke's first defeat since Bundesliga Matchday 5.

Line-ups

Leipzig: Gulacsi – Schmitz (Kaiser 23'), Ilsanker, Orban (c), Halstenberg – Sabitzer, Keita, Demme, Forsberg (Khedira 90+1') – Poulsen, Werner (Burke 83')

Coach: Ralph Hasenhüttl

Schalke: Fährmann – Höwedes (c), Naldo, Nastasic – Geis (Reese 86') – Schöpf (Caicara 86'), Goretzka, Bentaleb (Konoplyanka 81'), Kolasinac – Meyer, Choupo-Moting

Coach: Markus Weinzierl

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