Timo Werner hit 25 goals for the first time in his Bundesliga career and Christopher Nkunku continued his fine season as RB Leipzig overcame hosts Koln 4-2 in a Monday thriller.
Leipzig moves third with the win, moving onto 58, after Patrik Schick scored his ninth goal in 18 league matches to open the contest. Dani Olmo also scored for the victorious visitors.
[ Bundesliga: Fixtures, box scores ]
Jhon Cordoba and Anthony Modeste scored for Koln, whose top six hopes take a big hit. The Billy Goats remain 11th and are now closer to the drop zone than sixth.
Only Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Munich has scored more league goals (29) than Werner.
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This chip from Christopher Nkunku 👌 @RBLeipzig_EN pic.twitter.com/NuPjBCpK5x
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 1, 2020
A great early save from Timo Horn on Timo Werner preceded Koln’s opener.
Elvis Rexhbecaj timed his run well and knifed to the near post, where he shot through the legs of Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi.
The ball hit the post and skittered into the box and Gulacsi could only get a piece of Cordoba’s left-footed attempt.
Leipzig leveled when Upamecano dribbled up the heart of the pitch before finding Man City loanee Angelino on the left for a perfect cross and Schick header. Angelino had an exceptional day on the left flank.
Leipzig took its lead in the 38th minute with a deft finish from Nkunku, who took Konrad Laimer’s perfect feed and popped it over a charging Horn for 2-1.
Werner finished off a lightning counter as Gulacsi collected a free kick and hit a perfect punt to the league’s second-leading scorer.
Counter-attacking 101, brought to you by Timo Werner and @RBLeipzig_EN 📚💨 pic.twitter.com/65pgTxCHwg
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 1, 2020
That was far from the end of the fun.
Modeste hit an absolute hammer to make it 3-2, but Leipzig restored the two-goal advantage when Olmo hit a seeing-eye shot through the traffic to cap three goals in seven minutes between the two sides.
French striker Modeste won a penalty that was denied by VAR with under 20 minutes to play, he then missed wide after beating the keeping one 1v1 break with four minutes to play.
Americans Abroad: American midfielder Tyler Adams continued his streak of playing in every Leipzig match since the break when he came off the bench just before the hour mark.
Adams hit 94 percent of his 18 passes, drawing three fouls, making an interception, and winning three of four duels.
1 - With his assist for Timo Werner's goal Peter #Gulasci becomes the first keeper to be involved in a goal in the current Bundesliga season. Quarterback. @RBLeipzig_EN #KOERBL pic.twitter.com/iBTgxMGoI7
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) June 1, 2020