RB Leipzig will go into the Bundesliga winter break in first place after coming from behind to claim a 3-1 home win against Augsburg on Saturday.
The German league starts a four-week winter break on Sunday and Leipzig’s hard-fight home win left them three points clear.
Borussia Moenchengladbach can draw level on 37 points if they beat Hertha Berlin, who are chasing a third straight win under Jurgen Klinsmann, on Saturday night.
Leipzig fell behind at home after just eight minutes when Augsburg’s top-scoring forward Florian Niederlechner stabbed home a cross.
However, Leipzig battered the visitors’ goal and their 16th attempt finally went in when midfielder Konrad Laimer curled his shot inside the top corner on 68 minutes.
The hosts took the lead with ten minutes to go when Czech forward Patrik Schick headed home his third goal in as many games after he was left unmarked at the far post.
Danish striker Yussuf Poulsen grabbed Leipzig’s third goal in the 89th minute when he converted a pass from Timo Werner.
– Teen nets for Bayern –
Elsewhere, Dutch teenager Joshua Zirkzee continued his dream scoring run for Bayern Munich by giving the defending champions a late lead in their 2-0 win at home to Wolfsburg.
Having scored on his Bundesliga debut in their 3-1 midweek win at Freiburg, Zirkee, 18, fired home a Thomas Mueller pass with his first touch after coming off the bench at the Allianz Arena.
Germany winger Serge Gnabry then added a second goal just before the final whistle to seal the three points which leave Bayern third.
The win came at a price, however, as defender Javi Martinez had to be helped off and will be “out for six weeks,” confirmed interim coach Hansi Flick.
Bayern already have fellow centre-backs Niklas Suele and Lucas Hernandez sidelined by long-term injuries.
Having won his last three league games and steered Bayern to the last 16 of the Champions League with six straight wins, a decision about Flick’s future is expected in the coming days.
“We’re very happy with his work, we’ll sit and talk it over,” said Bayern’s sports director Hasan Salihamidzic.
Schalke are fifth after their 2-2 draw at home to Freiburg, who converted two second-half penalties.
The Royal Blues took the lead in Gelsenkirchen when Turkey midfielder Suat Serdar showed great finishing.
Freiburg equalised early in the second half when Germany striker Nils Petersen converted a penalty.
Their South Korean midfielder Kwon Chang-Hoon then hit the post just before Freiburg winger Vincenzo Grifo chipped home a penalty attempt to put them 2-1 up with 23 minutes left.
However, Schalke claimed a point when substitute forward Ahmed Kutucu hit a brilliant shot from the edge of the area.
The result leaves Schalke level on 30 points with Borussia Dortmund, who crashed 2-1 defeat at Hoffenheim on Friday.
Cologne left the relegation places with a 1-0 win at home to Werder Bremen, who drop into the bottom three, thanks to a first-half goal by Colombia striker Jhon Cordoba from close range.
After three straight defeats, 10-man Leverkusen are now sixth after their 1-0 win at Mainz as Argentina striker Lucas Alario scored a 90th-minute winner.
Leverkusen played the last 20 minutes with ten-man after Brazilian defender Wendell was sent off for a second yellow card.
AFP
