Braces from Yussuf Poulsen and Timo Werner help RB Leipzig consolidate fourth with win over Mainz.
Leipzig consolidated fourth place in the Bundesliga with Yussuf Poulsen and Timo Werner scoring two each in a 4-1 win over Mainz.
Leipzig 4-1 Mainz
Goals: 1-0 Poulsen (14'), 2-0 Poulsen (19'), 2-1 Onisiwio (38'), 3-1 Werner (74'), 4-1 Werner (88')
The hosts made their intentions clear as they bit away at the Mainz players' heels, almost inevitably forcing the opening goal after less than 15 minutes. Kevin Kampl delivered a cross from the right where Poulsen was half a second quicker than Stefan Bell and able to prod the ball home. Less than five minutes passed before Poulsen doubled Leipzig's lead, this time meeting a cross from Timo Werner from the right. Leipzig showed they had not entirely learnt their lesson from their Europa League elimination, though, as they lifted their foot off the gas rather early, paying the price in the 38th minute when Karim Onisiwo held off Willi Orban and beat Peter Gulacsi to reduce the arrears.
Mainz had clearly read Thursday night's script as they sought an equaliser against a Leipzig side who focused on administering their advantage. However, there was to be no repeat of that disappointment as Werner put the result beyond doubt with 15 minutes remaining. Diego Demme sent the German forward through and he rounded Robin Zentner and tucked in his fifth career goal against Mainz from a tight angle. Werner then notched his tenth goal of the season with Poulsen this time provider for the German to put the cherry on top with a fine strike from 15 yards.
Match stats
- Whenever Werner has scored this season, he has always scored two: this was his fifth brace.It is the first time Werner has had more than nine goals after 15 games of the seasonEight of Werner's ten goals this season have come in Leipzig.Leipzig had gone 512 minutes without conceding in the Bundesliga before Onisiwo scored.Poulsen scored his third brace of the season, having never scored more than a single goal in a game during his first season at Leipzig.
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Line-ups
Leipzig: Gulacsi – Upamecano, Orban (c), Konate – Klostermann (Ilsanker 85'), Demme, Kampl (Laimer 46'), Halstenberg – Sabitzer – Werner (Bruma 89'), Poulsen
Unused subs: Mvogo, Saracchi, Cunha, Augustin
Out: Adams (ineligible), Forsberg (groin)
Coach: Ralf Rangnick
Mainz: Zentner – Brosinski, Bell (c), Niakhite, Martin – Öztunali (Boetius 83'), Gbamin, Latza – Quaison (Maxim 67'), Mateta, Onisiwo (Ujah 78')
Unused subs: Huth, Donati, Hack, Kunde
Out: Adler (knee), Baku (ankle), Berggreen (hamstring), Müller (ankle), Mwene (knee), Holtmann (dental surgery)
Coach: Sandro Schwarz
As it happened