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Yussuf Poulsen's brace against Bayer Leverkusen sends RB Leipzig up to third

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Yussuf Poulsen scored two and had a hand in another as RB Leipzig moved above Bayern Munich into third place in the Bundesliga standings thanks to a comfortable 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday.

RB Leipzig 3-0 Bayer Leverkusen

Goals: 1-0 Poulsen (27’), 2-0 Klostermann (67’), 3-0 Poulsen (85’)

Leverkusen had their moments, but Leipzig were good value for their lead when it came just short of the half-hour mark. Ralf Rangnick’s side had already rattled off six shots on goal, before Poulsen lofted Diego Demme’s chipped pass over the onrushing Lukas Hradecky. The linesman immediately raised his flag for an offside decision, only to be overruled by the Video Assistant in Cologne. Kevin Kampl and Kai Havertz traded long-range attempts towards the end of a sprightly first half.

Leon Bailey entered the fray at half-time, but had to wait until the 77th minute to test Peter Gulacsi - the Hungarian goalkeeper pulling off an excellent fingertip save from the Jamaican’s fierce free-kick. Leverkusen were already 2-0 down by that point after an incisive passing move involving Poulsen and Marcel Sabitzer culminated in Lukas Klostermann slotting beyond Hradecky from close range. Timo Werner should have made it three, but sent his effort straight at the goalkeeper when clean through. After Gulacsi thwarted Julian Brandt, Poulsen punished some slack Leverkusen defending to put the seal on the win.

Match stats

    Leipzig are unbeaten in the Bundesliga since losing to Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 1, and have kept five successive clean sheets.Klostermann scored his second ever Bundesliga goal on his 75th appearance at Germany’s top table.Poulsen scored his fifth and sixth Bundesliga goals - more than he scored in 29 appearances in his debut season in Germany’s top flight in 2016/17.Leipzig boast the meanest defence in the Bundesliga, having only conceded nine times.Kampl made 73 appearances in all competitions for Leverkusen, before joining Leipzig in summer 2017.Leverkusen have lost six of their 11 Bundesliga games so far this season. They lost nine in the entire course of 2017/18.

Watch: Poulsen praises Leipzig's attacking and defensive form

Line-ups

Leipzig: Gulacsi – Klostermann, Upamecano, Konate, Halstenberg – Sabitzer (Augustin 88’), Ilsanker, Demme, Kampl (c) (Bruma 88’) – Werner (Laimer 82’), Poulsen
Unused subs: Müller, Orban, Cunha, Mukiele
Absentees: Forsberg (groin)
Coach: Ralf Rangnick

Leverkusen: Hradecky – Tah, S. Bender, Jedvaj (Bailey 46’) – Weiser (Alario 72’), Aranguiz (Kohr 66’), L. Bender (c), Wendell – Havertz, Volland, Brandt
Unused subs: Özcan, Dragovic, Paulinho, Baumgartlinger
Absentees: Pohjanpalo (ankle), Bellarabi (thigh)
Coach: Heiko Herrlich

As it happened

Click here for the RB Leipzig vs. Bayer Leverkusen match centre!