Leipzig warmed up for Liverpool in the Champions League with a hard-fought 2-1 win over visiting Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Friday.
Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann would be relieved to see his team consolidate second place without any major injury worries ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League round-of-16 first leg game in Budapest. The match was switched to Hungary as German authorities did not give Liverpool an exemption against restrictions affecting visitors from Britain due to coronavirus mutations.
Leipzig had to wait till the 38th minute for the breakthrough with Dani Olmo scoring a penalty at the second attempt. Rafał Gikiewicz saved the Spaniard’s first attempt but was ordered to face him again after a VAR check showed he moved ahead of the goal-line before saving.
Gikiewicz had been booked already for complaining when Reece Oxford conceded the penalty for catching Nordi Mukiele as he attempted a clearance, so the Polish goalkeeper had to restrain himself from further complaints despite his evident annoyance.
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Olmo seized his second chance and Yussuf Poulsen set up Christopher Nkunku for Leipzig’s second goal five minutes later.
Augsburg offered little in response until Leipzig substitute Ibrahima Konaté conceded a penalty for a foul on Mads Pedersen.
Daniel Caligiuri converted the visitors’ first real chance from the spot in the 77th.
Nkunku struck the post late on and Leipzig survived a goalmouth scramble in injury time to see out the win.
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