LEIPZIG: A Xavi Sim­ons brace and a Benjamin Sesko stunner helped secure RB Leipzig a 4-2 home win over Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Sunday, with new Red Bull football boss Jurgen Klopp in the crowd.

Klopp started as the Global Head of Football at Red Bull, Leipzig’s parent company, on Jan 1.

Klopp celebrated Leipzig’s goals, a day after watching from the stands at sister club Paris FC in the French capital.

The win took Leipzig back to fourth, level on points with third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, but nine behind leaders Bayern Munich.

Simons, put the hosts in front after 24 minutes, taking advantage of a quick throw in to latch onto a Lois Openda pass and slide the ball into the bottom left corner.

Bremen’s Mitchell Weiser levelled two minutes later, finishing from close range after a clever Marco Gruell backheel.

Simons however had Lei­pzig back in front 10 minutes before the break when his long-range effort was def­lected past Bremen goalkeeper Michael Zetterer.

Sesko increased Leip­zig’s lead a minute into the second half, unleashing a dipping shot from outside the box and over Zetterer’s outstretched hands.

Christoph Baumgartner added Leipzig’s fourth in the final minute of regular time.

Scotland forward Oliver Burke scored a consolation goal for Bremen in stoppage time.

In Sunday’s late game, Deniz Undav scored the only goal as VfB Stuttgart won 1-0 at Augsburg.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2025

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