bundesliga

Loïs Openda and Xavi Simons co-pilot RB Leipzig cruise past Cologne

29.10.2023

RB Leipzig celebrated an emphatic home win against 10-man Cologne, with Xavi pulling the strings and Loïs Openda scoring another brace.

RB Leipzig 6-0 Cologne
Goals: 1-0 Werner (pen.) 15', 2-0 Openda 40' (assist: Xavi), 3-0 Raum 43' (assist: Henrichs), 4-0 Openda 45'+3 (assist: Xavi), 5-0 Šeško 88', 6-0 Baumgartner 90'+1
Red card: Olesen 80'

After enduring a recent run of three games without a win in all competitions, the hosts were seeking to respond with a hat-trick of victories in the space of a week. Openda tickled the outstretched fingers of Marvin Schwäbe with a shot early on and the goalkeeper was soon called upon again to fist away a long-range Xavi effort. The intense pressure soon told on the visitors when Eric Martel bundled over Amadou Haidara inside the area, allowing Timo Werner to comfortably slot home his second goal of the season from the penalty spot. The Billy Goats responded with a Luca Waldschmidt strike against the post, but Leipzig were aways in command in the opening 45 minutes and they doubled their lead when Xavi slid Openda through to fire high in at the near post for 2-0. When David Raum's header from Benjamin Henrichs's perfect centre struck the woodwork, bounced off Schwäbe and over the line, Die Roten Bullen were out of sight. Marco Rose's men saved their best of the half for last, however, with Xavi and Openda combining in glorious fashion for the Belgian striker to score his eighth Bundesliga goal.

Steffen Baumgart oversaw Cologne's first win of the campaign against Rhine Derby rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach last weekend and the tactician rang the half-time changes as he sought to mastermind a way back into this game. To the coach's continuing frustration, the game's pattern didn't alter all that much. Werner drew a couple of neat saves from Schwäbe, before Janis Blaswich was finally called into action to deny Davie Selke. Openda almost grabbed his first Bundesliga hat-trick when he headed narrowly off target, while soon afterwards Cologne's misery was almost complete when Mathias Olesen was ordered off for a second yellow. Benjamin Šeško slammed home and and fellow substitute Christoph Baumgartner curled in from range late on to complete a crushing victory.

Match stats

Openda is Leipzig’s top scorer in the Bundesliga with eight goals, which is the most any player has ever scored in his first nine Bundesliga appearances for the club.
The 23-year-old forward scored his second Bundesliga double in successive games.
Xavi is the Bundesliga's top goal provider with six assists so far this season.
Leipzig currently have 25 Bundesliga goals this season, a club record after nine matchdays.
The Saxony-based side have never lost a Bundesliga home game in October (W11, D3).
Cologne equalled an unwanted club record of being four goals behind at the break for only the second tiem in their history.
Leipzig's previous biggest half-time margin came in November 2019 at home against Mainz, when Die Roten Bullen led 5-0 after the first 45'.
Schwäbe scored the first own goal of his Bundesliga career.

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Watch: Xavi on his connection with Loïs Openda

Teams

Leipzig: Blaswich - Klostermann, Simakan, Castello - Henrichs, Schlager, Haidara (c), Raum (Lenz 75') - Xavi (Olmo 63') (Carvalho 70') - Openda (Šeško 75'), Werner (Baumgartner 63')
Unused subs: Gulácsi, Forsberg, Seiwald, Poulsen
Out: Bitshiabu (knee), Kampl (unconfirmed), Orban (knee)
Coach: Marco Rose

Cologne: Schwäbe - Carstensen, Hübers, Chabot (Kilian 46'), Paqarada - Ljubičić, Martel - Waldschmidt (Huseinbašić 70'), Kainz (c) (Olesen 70'), Maina (Alidou 46') - Selke (Uth 77')
Unused subs: Köbbing, Schmitz, Heintz, Tigges
Out: Christensen (muscular), Katterbach (knee), Pentke (knee), Thielmann (knee)
Coach: Steffen Baumgart