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RB Leipzig strike duo Timo Werner and Yussuf Poulsen (l.-r.) were too hot for Napoli to handle on Thursday night. - © © imago / Picture Point LE
RB Leipzig strike duo Timo Werner and Yussuf Poulsen (l.-r.) were too hot for Napoli to handle on Thursday night. - © © imago / Picture Point LE

Timo Werner at the double as RB Leipzig beat Serie A leaders Napoli 3-1

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RB Leipzig scored three away goals in coming from behind to beat Serie A leaders Napoli in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League Round of 32 tie at the San Paolo.

Napoli 1-3 RB Leipzig

Goals: 1-0 Ounas (52'), 1-1 Werner (71'), 1-2 Bruma (74'), 1-3 Werner (90+3')

Leipzig stormed out of the blocks, with Timo Werner going close twice in quick succession. Further chances fell the way of Bruma and Yussuf Poulsen, but neither player was able to make them count. Peter Gulasci put up a strong pair of wrists to beat away a fierce effort from Jose Callejon in a rare sight of the Leipzig goal for the hosts, before Bruma shot wide from Kevin Kampl with the best opening of an open first half.

Adam Ounas fired Napoli ahead after further missed chances for Werner and Marcel Sabitzer, but Leipzig were not behind for long. Reina had already pulled off a spectacular save from Poulsen when Kampl crossed for Werner to dispatch a clinical equaliser from eight yards, with the aid of an exquisite Poulsen dummy. Gulasci thwarted Lorenzo Insigne, and what a pivotal stop it turned out to be as Leipzig went up the other end to take the lead - Poulsen turning provider for Bruma. Werner netted his second deep into added time to give last season's Bundesliga runners-up a priceless advantage ahead of next week's home leg at the Red Bull Arena.

Line-ups

Napoli: Reina - Maggio, Tonelli, Koulibaly, Hysaj (Rui 53') – Rog, Diawara, Hamsik (c) (Insigne 54') - Ounas (Allan 60'), Callejon, Zielinski
Unused subs: Rafael, Jorginho, Sepe, Albiol
Absentees: Milik, Ghoulam (both knee), Chiriches (muscle strain)
Coach: Maurizio Sarei

Leipzig: Gulacsi – Laimer, Orban (c), Upamecano, Klostermann – Keita (Demme 86'), Kampl – Sabitzer, Bruma (Forsberg 79') – Poulsen (Augustin 82'), Werner
Unused subs: Mvogo, Bernardo, Konate, Kaiser
Absentees: Halstenberg (knee)
Coach: Ralph Hasenhüttl

Match stats

    Leipzig made their Europa League debut.Werner has scored in each of his side's last three European away matches.Gulacsi was Reina's team-mate at Liverpool during the 2008/09 campaign.Napoli have only registered a single victory in their last six home games against Bundesliga opposition - against Borussia Dortmund in the 2013/14 Champions League group stage.Lokomotiv Leipzig were beaten 2-0 by Napoli in the second round of the 1988/89 UEFA Cup.

As it happened!