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RB star Christopher Nkunku
Photo: LISI NIESNER / REUTERS
RB Leipzig continued the run of the previous weeks and beat SC Freiburg in the repeat of the summer cup final.
On the other hand, Union Berlin suffered another setback in the top group of the Bundesliga, against Augsburg it was only enough for a draw for the second.
Eintracht Frankfurt remains on its high and also beat Hoffenheim.
And FC Schalke was also able to celebrate again after many lean weeks.
The sixth receives the third in the table: Leipzig against Freiburg, that was the top game of the evening.
But the game, which RB won 3-1 (0-0), only lived up to these expectations in the second half.
With a success, RB was able to move up to two points from Freiburg and went to work with appropriate motivation.
Christopher Nkunku in particular, called up for the French World Cup squad in the evening, showed himself to be enthusiastic and only hit the outer post after a nice free-kick variant.
On the other hand, the SC showed the usual discipline in defensive work, but not much went forward in the first 45 minutes.
The 0-0 at break was therefore logical.
After the change, RB broke the spell.
Mohamed Simakan reacted first after a corner kick and put the ball into the goal for the lead (55th minute), two minutes later the hosts struck again: Nkunku was more accurate this time and made the supposed preliminary decision.
Freiburg, however, reported back again, Lukas Kübler scored a volley after 67 minutes and was worth seeing from the edge of the penalty area to the next goal.
Freiburg's hopes were dashed in the 78th minute when Emil Forsberg completed a controversial penalty kick to make it 3-1.
The spectators in the Alte Försterei experienced an exciting game at the last Union home game of the year against FC Augsburg.
Especially in the first half it went back and forth, the final score of 2:2 was already set after 45 minutes.
Union took an early lead after eight minutes because Sheraldo Becker overcame former Union keeper Rafal Gikiewicz from a sharp winkle.
However, Augsburg quickly hit back through Florian Niederlechner.
It was 1-1 just two minutes after taking the lead.
Next it was Union's turn again: Kevin Behrens headed a free-kick cross unhindered into the goal (22nd minute).
But again it was Niederlechner who countered in the 39th minute and restored the draw.
After the change, Union pushed for the winning goal, but it didn't come.
Eintracht Frankfurt offered a 4: 2 (3: 1) goal spectacle against defensively overwhelmed Hoffenheim.
After just half an hour, the home win seemed certain: Djibril Sow gave his team the lead with a well-considered shot into the right corner (6th), just two minutes later Randal Kolo Muani used a rebound.
Just as Hoffenheim were able to calm down the game, another swift combination led to success: Éric Dina-Ebimbe completed a skillful cross pass from Kolo Muani (29').
Tension returned almost out of nowhere.
Christoph Baumgartners headed in from close range (37') and Ozan Kabak's long-range shot (46') gave TSG hope immediately after the break.
Frankfurt wobbled briefly before Jesper Lindstrøm (56th) made things clear again;
an offside goal by Kolo Muani was also disallowed (68.)
With the three points won, Eintracht heaves past Dortmund in fourth place.
After weeks of crisis, FC Schalke managed a 1-0 (1-0) home win against Mainz.
It was the promoted team's second win this season - and an important one.
Finally, table penultimate VfL Bochum had won three points against Gladbach on Tuesday.
Man of the match was Simon Terodde, who scored the only goal of the game (10').
Schalke seemed awake in a game that was fragmented by many injuries and changes and deservedly remained in the lead until the final whistle - also because the Mainz offensive appeared uncreative.
aha/mas