4-0 against Augsburg! RB Leipzig take back fourth place
Silva gives RBL first half lead (40’) | Nkunku scores brace in second half (48’, 57’) | Forsberg scores fourth from penalty spot (64’)
RB Leipzig have returned to the top four with one game remaining in the regular season. Should they maintain their position in the league table next weekend, they will qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season. A 4-0 home win against FC Augsburg saw Domenico Tedesco’s side leapfrog SC Freiburg in the table.
André Silva was the most dangerous Leipzig player in the first half and was responsible for all three of the team’s shots on target before the break. The third ended up in the back of the net. In the 40th minute, Silva picked up the ball and fired a powerful effort into the top right corner from around 17 metres to give his side a narrow lead at half time.
Early in the second half, Nordi Mukiele provided Christopher Nkunku twice, with the French connection combining to see Nkunku record a brace (48’, 57’) and give Leipzig some breathing room. RBL continued to dominate the game and increased the lead from the penalty spot. When Mukiele was brought down at a corner, Emil Forsberg slotted home into the bottom corner (64’) to round off a comfortable win in the final home game of the season.
Statistics:
RB LEIPZIG:
Gulácsi (C, 87' Tschauner) – Orbán, Forsberg (71' Szoboszlai), Klostermann, Nkunku (77' Olmo), Mukiele, Halstenberg, Laimer (71' Adams), Silva (71' Poulsen), Henrichs, Kampl
FC AUGSBURG:
Gikiewicz - Pedersen (79' Gumny), Oxford, Gouweleeuw (C), Niederlechner (58' Pepi), Gruezo (46' Maier), Gregoritsch (57' Hahn), Uduokhai, Caligiuri (79' Zeqiri), Günther, Dorsch
REFEREE:
Bastian Dankert (Rostock)
GOALS:
1-0 Silva (40'), 2-0 Nkunku (48'), 3-0 Nkunku (57'), 4-0 Forsberg (penalty, 64')
ATTENDANCE:
37,029 | Red Bull Arena
YELLOW CARDS:
Forsberg (2nd of season), Tedesco (3rd) - Gouweleeuw (9th), Günther (1st)
First half highlights:
Kick off:
Head coach Domenico Tedesco makes four changes to the side that faced Rangers on Thursday. Marcel Halstenberg, Nordi Mukiele, Emil Forsberg and André Silva come into the starting XI. Joško Gvardiol misses out with a knee problem, while Angeliño, Dani Olmo and Yussuf Poulsen return to the bench.
2nd minute:
The first attack of the game is Augsburg’s. Daniel Caligiuri shoots into the side netting from a narrow angle after a low cross.
6th minute:
Big chance for André Silva! A corner from the right finds the forward, but he can’t get proper contact on the ball and Gikiewicz saves.
18th minute:
Silva heads on and Nordi Mukiele challenges Reece Oxford for the ball in the box He goes to ground but there’s no foul and Gikiewicz picks up possession.
29th minute:
FCA are playing courageously. Their Bundesliga status was secured ahead of kick off after Stuttgart failed to beat Bayern. That seems to have given the away side a lift here.
35th minute:
Christopher Nkunku crosses from the left towards Silva, whose header goes back across goal. Benjamin Henrichs isn’t able to get there and there’s no more danger for Augsburg.
40th minute, GOOAAL for Leipzig:
SILVA! What a strike! Our number 33 gets the ball in front of the area in a central position and fires one powerfully into the top right corner. 1-0 to RBL!
Half time:
So far, so good! 1-0 up at the break. If it stays like this, we’ll end the matchday in fourth place.
Second half highlights:
46th minute:
The second half is underway. No personnel changes from Domenico Tedesco.
48th minute, GOOAAL for Leipzig:
Who else? Mukiele bursts forward on the right, gets into the area, and cuts back brilliantly to Christopher Nkunku who makes no mistake from a position near the penalty spot and doubles the lead!.
57th minute, GOOAAL for Leipzig:
Mukiele to Nkunku: take two! The wing back gets in again down the right-hand side. He’s in acres of space before crossing to Nkunku again. He takes his time, lets the goalkeeper read his dummy and slots home.
61st minute:
Halstenberg firs a ball into Silva in the six-yard box, but Gikiewicz is able to save.
62nd minute, penalty for Leipzig:
Pedersen collides with Mukiele at a corner. The referee points to the spot.
64th minute, GOOAAL for Leipzig:
Forsberg steps up and makes no mistake! 4-0.
69th minute:
Laimer is sent through from deep into the area and manages to get round Gikiewicz before cutting back to Silva who taps into the open goal from close range. However, the flag was up – the ball had crossed the byline before Laimer’s cross.
74th minute:
Nearly an own goal for the visitors: Jeffrey Gouweleeuw’s clearance ricochets off Niklas Dorsch and flies goalwards, but it goes just past the post.
75th minute:
Next chance for RBL. Halstenberg has an effort from inside the area but it’s just past the post.
83rd minute:
Benny Henrichs shoots from the edge of the area. It’s goalwards and heading towards the top corner, but Gikiewicz makes a good diving save.
87th minute:
Huge applause for Philipp Tschauner! The goalkeeper, who is retiring at the end of the season, comes on for captain Péter Gulácsi for the final few minutes. That’s also his competitive debut for the club!
Full time:
Three second half goals see RB Leipzig overcome FC Augsburg 4-0 and move into fourth place in the Bundesliga table, two points ahead of SC Freiburg. Given the significantly better goal difference, a point in Bielefeld on the final matchday should see RBL secure fourth place and qualify for the Champions League.