Leipzig victory at Zenit St. Petersburg: Almost in the round of the last sixteen

Bundesliga

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6-1 success in the DFB Cup at VfL Wolfsburg, 8-0 gala in the Bundesliga against Mainz: RB Leipzig was with their recent strong performances for the fourth group duel in the Champions League - and at Zenit St. Petersburg followed with a 2 : 0 (1: 0) now the continuation of the winning streak. With nine points, the Bundesliga club is about to move into the second round. Zenit (four points) has to tremble to keep going in group G if there are two remaining games to play.

The Leipzig lead fell just before half time when Diego Demme used a rebound after a failed free kick from just under 20 yards (45 + 5 minutes). For the 27-year-old defensive specialist it was the first goal since 2017 and his only second goal in professional football. Marcel Sabitzer has more routine in goal-scoring: He scored the deciding 2-0 in the 63rd minute, the Austrians was already successful in Leipzig's 2-1 first-goal success as scorer.

The game had also started with Leipzig cheers: Marcel Halstenberg scored in the 14th minute to the supposed 1: 0, but after checking the video images referee Orel Grinfeld did not recognize the goal - Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku was the ball before the play to Halstenberg to the Arm jumped. Thereafter, little on both sides Torgefahr developed at Leipzig, this should have been due to Timo Werner. After five recent goals and five assists in two competitive games, the attacker initially remained on the bench because of muscular problems.

Werner directly playable

Shortly before the break, however, there were scoring scenes and St. Petersburg's Sardar Azmoun missed the biggest chance of the first half from an acute angle (45. + 2). A little later, the distance shot of Demme followed in the left corner. From the middle of the second half then Werner was allowed to play along and only two minutes after his substitution he was involved in the 2-0 by Sabitzer.

For Leipzig, the group stage of the premier class continues with a home game against Benfica on 27 November, then the team can make the entry into the knockout round perfect. At the end of the duel at Olympique Lyon (10 December).

Zenit St. Petersburg - RB Leipzig 0: 2 (0: 1)
0: 1 Demme (45. + 5)
0: 2 Sabitzer (63.)
Zenit St. Petersburg : Kerzhakov - Smolnikov (46th Karavaev), Osorio, Ivanovic (71st Driussi), Rakitskiy - Ozdoev, Barrios, Santos - Dzyuba, Azmoun, Yerokhin (85th Kuzyaev)
RB Leipzig : Gulasci - Mukiele, Klostermann, Upamecano, Halstenberg (46th Kampl) - Laimer, Demme - Sabitzer, Forsberg (76th Haidara) - Nkunku (61 Werner), Poulsen
Referee : Grinfeld
Yellow cards : Yerokhin, Dzyuba, Kuzyaev / Upamecano
Spectators : 48,000