Bundesliga: Leverkusen rallies to beat Leipzig 3-1

Berlin, Dec 21 (IANS) Bayer Leverkusen ended the Bundesliga year with an away win on Saturday, coming from behind to beat RB Leipzig 3-1 and climb to third place in the table.

In a high-intensity match, Leverkusen started brightly, moving the ball with confidence and creating early chances through Patrik Schick and Martin Terrier. Leipzig responded on the counter and gradually gained control, with Leverkusen goalkeeper Mark Flekken forced into a save to deny Conrad Harder from distance, reports Xinhua.

Leipzig took the lead in the 35th minute after a quick throw-in on the right. Christoph Baumgartner set up Xaver Schlager, who drove across the edge of the box and placed a low shot into the bottom corner.

Leverkusen responded quickly as Terrier headed in Arthur cross to level the score in the 40th minute. The visitors completed the turnaround just before the break when Schick finished off a counterattack, beating his marker in the area and scoring decisively to give Leverkusen a 2-1 halftime lead.

After the interval, Leipzig applied sustained pressure. Harder and Tidiam Gomis both went close, and Flekken produced a key one-on-one save during the hosts strongest spell.

Although Leipzig dominated possession late on, clear chances were limited. Its final opportunity came in stoppage time, when captain Willi Orban header failed to test Flekken.

Leverkusen sealed the result moments later. Substitute Montrell Culbreath broke through on the counter and scored on his Bundesliga debut, with the goal confirmed after a lengthy VAR review.

The win moves Leverkusen to 29 points from 15 matches, lifting it above Leipzig on goal difference into third place. Leipzig drops to fourth after its first home defeat of the season.

It was a fairly even game with chances at both ends, Leipzig managing director for sport Marcel Schaefer said. Leverkusen played well and deserve credit. We go into the winter break with two defeats, but we will return stronger in January.

Elsewhere, Stuttgart drew 0-0 with Hoffenheim, Freiburg edged Wolfsburg 4-3, Union Berlin defeated 10-man Cologne 1-0, Hamburg drew 1-1 with Frankfurt, and Augsburg and Werder Bremen drew 0-0.

--IANS

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