Leipzig makes winning Bundesliga start without Werner

RB Leipzig eased past Mainz 05 3-1 in its Bundesliga opener on Sunday to enjoy a successful start to league life without striker Timo Werner.

Werner joined Chelsea in the close season and missed its run to the Champions League semi-finals in August but Leipzig had little trouble finding the back of the net against Mainz, striking twice in four minutes.

Emil Forsberg converted a 17th-minute penalty for a foul on Dani Olmo and Yussuf Poulsen rose high to drill in a header for the second goal.

With Mainz struggling to find ways of stopping Leipzig, Forsberg almost scored again on the half-hour mark when he dribbled past two opponents but his clever flick bounced off the post.

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Mainz cut the deficit three minutes after the restart when Quaison threaded a ball through the entire Leipzig defence for Jean-Philippe Mateta to score with a fine finish.

Any hopes of a comeback lasted only three minutes, however, with Amadou Haidara tapping in a Forsberg assist in the 51st to restore Leipzig's two-goal cushion.

Champion Bayern Munich opened its season with an impressive 8-0 demolition of Schalke 04 on Friday.