Updated on 02/11/2022 at 10:35 p.m
- More than just a win: With the win against 1. FC Köln, the Saxons take fourth place in the table.
- Nkunku advanced with a dream goal.
- RB coach Domenico Tedesco can now dream of the Champions League.
On the return of the fans has RB Leipzig celebrated the jump to a place in the Champions League. With the 3:1 (1:0) against the 1. FC Cologne on Friday, the Saxons advanced to fourth place in the table. It is the runner-up’s best finish this season. RB celebrated the fifth win in the sixth competitive game of 2022 together with 15,000 fans after only very few spectators were allowed in the last three months due to the corona restrictions.
Christopher Nkunku with a fantastic free kick (25th minute), Dani Olmo (54th) and Angeliño (57th) sealed the defeat of FC, who had not lost away from home since October 30, 2021. The Cologne team also helped the return of their coach Stephen Baumgart not, who again loudly gave full commitment on the sidelines. “I love standing there on the edge,” Baumgart emphasized. The coach was recently absent due to a positive corona test. The Cologne goal by Tim Lemperle in injury time was not enough (90+1).
Nkunku hits from 18 meters away
Even if the result was clear, the Rhinelanders were by no means hopelessly inferior. The FC stuck to its courageous route and tried to out the favorites Leipzig to press early. But the team of coaches Domenico Tedesco due to her footballing class, she managed to repeatedly overplay the FC’s line of attack and thus came up with dangerous actions. In the 23rd minute, Nkunku was about to take the lead, but Ellyes Skhiri saved just before the line.
But two minutes later it happened. After a foul by Timo Hübers on Olmo, who was preferred to Emil Forsberg again, Nkunku put a spectacular free kick from 18 meters into the upper left corner of the goal. With a little more determination, Leipzig could have led higher at the break.
Coach Tedesco convinces with team performance
FC, on the other hand, lacked penetrating power. It may also have been due to the failure of goalscorer Anthony Modeste, who was ill. The Frenchman has scored 14 of Cologne’s 33 goals so far and was difficult to replace with Sebastian Andersson.
In the second round, RB gave the Cologne team a little control of the game and then struck ice cold. Olmo put the ball in with a shot from 20 meters out and scored his first goal of the season. Angeliño set the tone shortly after, completing a squeaky clean counterattack via Nkunku and Olmo. Further proof that the people of Leipzig use the Tedesco system, who replaced the hapless Jesse Marsch in December, implement better and better. Even during his successful time at Schalke, Tedesco’s team at the time impressed with their merciless efficiency. (best/dpa)
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