bundesliga

Xavi Simons and Benjamin Sesko fire RB Leipzig past Union Berlin

03.09.2023

Xavi Simons and Benjamin Sesko were on target as RB Leipzig picked up their first win in five attempts against a 10-man Union Berlin on Sunday.

Union 0-3 Leipzig
Goals: 0-1 Xavi 51' (assist: Henrichs), 0-2 Sesko 85' (assist: Xavi), 0-3 Sesko 87' (assist: Olmo)
Red card: Volland 64'

Union came into the weekend top of the table having won their opening three games, and they were close to taking the lead early on when Kevin Volland met a Josip Juranovic cross from the right, but his effort was straight at Janis Blaswich in the visiting goal. Yussuf Poulsen then tried to curl one beyond Blaswich's opposite number Frederik Ronnow at the other end but it sailed high of the far top corner. David Raum then had a set piece that would only needed a touch on it to make it 1-0 to the visitors, and Marco Rose's men ended the half looking the more dangerous of the teams. Xaver Schlager drilled a shot wide from range before Lois Openda was called back for offside, and it was a goalless at the break.

The second half was barely five minutes old when Xavi fired Leipzig into the lead, though. Benjamin Henrichs passed to the Paris Saint-Germain-owned youngster on the edge of the box and he curled a fine finish home into Ronnow's top corner. Union's chances of getting back on level terms suffered a blow when Volland was sent off for a studs-first foul on Mohamed Simakan. Rose sent Benjamin Sesko and Christoph Baumgartner on for Poulsen and Openda late on in an attempt to take full advantage. Dani Olmo saw an effort tipped over the bar soon before Sesko grabbed a late brace - one a chipped finish, one a header - as it ended 3-0.

Match stats

Xavi now has two goals and two assists from his three Bundesliga appearances with Leipzig.
Leipzig have won their last three Bundesliga games against the team top of the table (previously 5-1 vs. Stuttgart last Friday, and 3-1 in Munich on the penultimate day last season).
This was Union's first home defeat in 25 Bundesliga games. The best current run in the division is now over.
Xavi's opener was the first time Union have even gone a goal down this season.
Leipzig have won seven of their last eight Bundesliga fixtures, with their tally of 21 points the joint most in that period together with Bayern.
Volland was sent off in what was his 250th Bundesliga game - his second in the German top flight and first since October 2016.

Teams

Union: Ronnow - Doekhi, Knoche (c), Leite - Juranovic (Trimmel 71'), Laidouni (Haberer 71'), Kral, Gosens - Fofana (Hollerbach 61'), Behrens, Volland
Unused subs: Schwolow, Roussillon, Bonucci, Jaeckel, Kemlein, Kaufmann
Out: Aaronson (suspended), Becker (muscular), Dehl (Achilles), Khedira (calf), Schäfer (foot), Tousart (thigh)
Coach: Urs Fischer

Leipzig: Blaswich - Henrichs (Lukeba 88'), Simakan (Klostermann 67'), Orban (c), Raum - Schlager, Kampl - Simons (Forsberg 88'), Olmo - Openda (Baumgartner 75'), Poulsen (Sesko 75')
Unused subs: Zingerle, Seiwald, Carvalho, Werner
Out: Bitshiabu (knee), Gulacsi (knee), Haidara (calf)
Coach: Marco Rose

Watch: Marco Rose - "The Bundesliga's a pretty cool league"