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Emil Forsberg after his goal

Photo: Beautiful Sports / Jan Kaefer / IMAGO / Beautiful Sports

The Swede Emil Forsberg has been under contract with RB Leipzig since 2015, helped with the club's promotion and won the DFB Cup twice with the Saxons. The 32-year-old attacker will join the New York Red Bulls in the winter, so the clash with TSG Hoffenheim was his last home game for Leipzig. And once again he put his stamp on the game and led RB to a 3-1 (1-1) victory. He scored after coming on as a substitute to make it 2-1.

Leipzig are third in the Bundesliga, Hoffenheim sixth.

RB Leipzig won at Borussia Dortmund last week, and on Wednesday they beat Bern in the Champions League. Leipzig went into the game against Hoffenheim with this momentum and put the visitors under pressure from the start. Yussuf Poulsen and Xavi Simons shot over (13th minute), but RB often lacked the necessary precision. The same was true for Hoffenheim, a volley from Robert Skov landed next to the goal (22nd), Ihlas Bebou hit the side-netting.

Then Leipzig became stronger again, Poulsen went alone towards keeper Oliver Baumann, but was pushed away and shot at the keeper (30').

Because it didn't work out of the game, a set piece had to lead to 1-0. David Raum delivered a free-kick into the middle, Poulsen headed it to Mohamed Simakan, whose shot was blocked. The ball then landed in the hands of Lukas Klostermann, who fired in from close range (34').

After that, Leipzig failed to extend the lead several times. What Hoffenheim punished: Skov brought a free-kick in front of goal, keeper Janis Blaswich came out, but not to the ball, Ozan Kabak scored with a header (42').

Forsberg immediately on the spot

In the second half, the duels became more intense, but the chances fewer. Xavi Simons hit the post (50'), but not much else happened at first.

Forsberg entered the pitch after 66 minutes – and was on the spot shortly afterwards. After an assist from Loïs Openda, the Swede took the ball with him and scored past Baumann into the left corner (70'). But that's not all: In the 76th minute, Forsberg volleyed home from a corner, Baumann saved, but Simakan dusted off. After that, the game was decided – and Forsberg was the man of the match.

kjo