Leipzig stage second half comeback to beat Zenit 2-1
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group G - RB Leipzig v Zenit Saint Petersburg - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - October 23, 2019 RB Leipzig's Marcel Sabitzer scores their second goal REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
LEIZPIG, Germany (Reuters) - RB Leipzig came from a goal down to beat visitors Zenit St Petersburg 2-1 on Wednesday and take back control of Champions League Group G.
The hosts, who had lost to Olympique Lyonnais in the previous matchday, almost scored after one minute when Konrad Laimer's shot was tipped on to the crossbar by the Zenit keeper.
But it was the visitors who struck first and against the run of play when Yaroslav Rakitskyy chested down a lose ball and released from 25 metres to beat Leipzig's goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi in the 25th minute.
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group G - RB Leipzig v Zenit Saint Petersburg - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - October 23, 2019 RB Leipzig's Dayot Upamecano in action with Zenit Saint Petersburg's Artem Dzyuba REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
The hosts, who came from a four-game winless run in all competitions, shot out of the blocks after the break and within 15 minutes had turned the match around.
Laimer made amends for his earlier miss scoring from a Marcel Sabitzer assist in the 49th. Sabitzer then turned scorer, rifling in an unstoppable shot into the top corner for what could well be the goal of the matchday in the 59th minute.
The Russians came close to an equaliser but substitute Yordan Osorio sent his shot over the bar from ten metres out.
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group G - RB Leipzig v Zenit Saint Petersburg - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - October 23, 2019 Zenit Saint Petersburg's Yaroslav Rakitskiy in action with RB Leipzig's Konrad Laimer REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
Matheus Cunha was even more wasteful for Leipzig when he twice had only keeper Mikhail Kerzhakov to beat and both times missed the target.
Leipzig are now top of Group G on six points from three matches, two ahead of Zenit and Lyon, who face Benfica later on Wednesday.
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group G - RB Leipzig v Zenit Saint Petersburg - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - October 23, 2019 RB Leipzig's Willi Orban in action with Zenit Saint Petersburg's Artem Dzyuba REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group G - RB Leipzig v Zenit Saint Petersburg - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - October 23, 2019 Zenit Saint Petersburg's Magomed Ozdoev in action with RB Leipzig's Matheus Cunha REUTERS/Annegret HilseSoccer Football - Champions League - Group G - RB Leipzig v Zenit Saint Petersburg - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - October 23, 2019 RB Leipzig's Lukas Klostermann, Marcel Sabitzer, Kevin Kampl and Dayot Upamecano celebrate after the match REUTERS/Annegret HilseSoccer Football - Champions League - Group G - RB Leipzig v Zenit Saint Petersburg - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - October 23, 2019 RB Leipzig's Yussuf Poulsen gestures REUTERS/Annegret HilseSoccer Football - Champions League - Group G - RB Leipzig v Zenit Saint Petersburg - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - October 23, 2019 RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann reacts REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
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