Thanks to Baumgartner: Leipzig back on course for the Champions League

RB Leipzig got back into contention for a Champions League place thanks to double act Christoph Baumgartner. The Austrian scored twice (29th and 56th minute) to lead his team to a hard-fought 2:1 (1:0) victory at 1. FC Köln.

This ended a mini crisis in the Bundesliga for the Saxons, who had previously gone two games without a win. Jan Thielmann (51) equalized for Cologne in the meantime.

Three days before the DFB Cup quarter-final at FC Bayern Munich on Wednesday, Leipzig moved past VfB Stuttgart into fourth place in the Bundesliga table. Cologne remain in tenth place - just four points clear of the relegation zone.

Leipzig's new signing Gruda in the starting XI

RB coach Ole Werner made three changes to his starting XI after the 2-1 defeat to Mainz 05. Among others, Benjamin Henrichs made his comeback after a long injury break and new signing Brajan Gruda started from the beginning on his debut.

Cologne coach Lukas Kwasniok also had to reshuffle his starting eleven after Alessio Castro-Montes (muscle injury) and Linton Maina (broken rib) were injured in the 1-0 win against VfL Wolfsburg. However, Kwasniok was initially without 18-year-old new signing Felipe Chávez from FC Bayern, with young star Said El Mala starting instead.

Cologne's young star has two chances early on

And the 19-year-old from Cologne had the first chance early on. But his shot after five minutes following a counter-attack was no problem for RB goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi. At the other end, the visitors were unlucky when Romulo only hit the post (7th).

Leipzig dominated the game from the kick-off, had a lot of possession and often caused problems for the Cologne defense through the fast attacking players around Yan Diomande. However, there were no compelling opportunities to begin with. The opening goal was not scored from play, but from a set piece: Baumgartner was on hand to head home from David Raum's free-kick.

Leipzig responded quickly to equalize

Cologne, on the other hand, relied on a quick transition game - and El Mala had another great chance (22'). But the attacker shot the ball past the far post from a half-left position. It was not until immediately after the break that the home side took the initiative and were rewarded with Thielmann's equalizer.

But the visitors' response was not long in coming: Baumgartner gave Leipzig the lead again just five minutes later with a turning shot after Xaver Schlager's assist. From then on, it was the other way around: Cologne controlled the game and pressed for the equalizer, while Leipzig countered.

Nusa only hits the aluminium

However, Cologne were too imprecise in their finishing, with the final pass
not arriving. In the 76th minute, Cologne were unlucky when a potential penalty was not awarded due to a previous offside position. Baumgartner had blocked the ball with his hand just before the line. In the closing stages, Leipzig's Nusa hit the post again (84th).