Timo Werner netted a hattrick as RassenBallSport Leipzig outclassed Mainz 05 5-0 in the Bundesliga on Sunday (May 24).
The attacker, linked with a summer move to Liverpool, has now scored 30 goals in all competitions this season.
Sunday’s feat also saw Werner become the first player in the Bundesliga since the 1998/99 season to score two hat tricks in the same season against the same opponent. He had netted a treble against Mainz in the reverse fixture in which Leipzig ran away 8-0 winners.
Werner’s first, after just 10 minutes, was a thing of beauty; a clinical finish from a tight angle that left the Mainz goalkeeper, Florian Mueller with no chance.
Leipzig were 2-0 up on 23 minutes when Yussuf Poulsen marked his 250th appearance with a well-taken goal before Marcel Sabiltzer scored his ninth goal of the season to give Julian Nagelsmann’s men a commanding 3-0 advantage going into the break at the OPEL Arenal.
Werner then netted two more in the second period to complete his hatrick, his third treble of the campaign, to put the Red Bulls firmly back in the title race. Leipzig are now seven points behind the leaders, Bayern who have amassed 61 points from 27 matches.
In the day’s early kickoff, Augsburg shocked Schalke 04 3-0 to move six points clear of the relegation zone.
Eduard Loewen opened the scoring for the visitors with an outrageous freekick in the sixth minute while Noah Sarenren-Bazee and Sergio Cordova made second-half goalscoring contributions to condemn Shalke to their second reverse in as many games.
In the day’s late game, FC Köln and Fortuna Dusseldorf played out a thrilling 2-2 draw at the RheinEnergie Stadion. The visitors stormed to a 2-0 lead through goals from Kenan Karaman and Erik Thommy. Sandwiched between both Fortuna goals was a missed Mark Uth penalty for the hosts just before the hour.
Fortune seemed destined to return to Dusseldorf with maximum points but late drama in the shape of two goals in the final 120 seconds denied Uwe Roesler’s charges a famous win. Anthony Modeste scored in the 88th minute to set up a grandstand finish before Jhon Cordoba rescued a point for the hosts at the death.
Results
Schalke 0-3 Augsburg
Mainz 0-5 RB Leipzig
Köln 2-2 Fortuna Dusseldorf
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