Leipzig return to winning ways, Füllkrug brace in Bremen win

Christoph Baumgartner scored on his Bundesliga return as RB Leipzig rebounded from two heavy defeats with a 4-0 victory over Elversberg on Saturday while in-form Niclas Füllkrug added another brace in Werder Bremen’s 3-2 in Mainz.

Leipzig and their new coach Martín Demichelis were under pressure to deliver after a 6-1 defeat at Bayern Munich and a 4-1 loss at Real Madrid.

They responded against promoted Elversberg as Tidiam Gomis converted a pass from Antonio Nusa in the 48th minute and Nusa then also set up Rômulo for the second in the 66th with a long ball.

Baumgartner came on for his first league match of the season after a thigh injury that cost him playing for Austria at the World Cup, and showed his worth with a thumping header in the 84th before Rômulo wrapped up matters.

Leipzig moved past Elversberg and Mainz into fifth, ahead of Bremen on goal difference.

Füllkrug became the first Bremen player since club and Germany legend Rudi Völler 41 years ago to reach eight goals in seven matches when he converted penalties in the seventh and 25th minute.

Hosts Mainz revived their hopes from Anthony Caci’s header in the 33rd. Bremen got a third from a deflected shot by Ludovit Reis in the 61st, Lee Jaesung responded with a glancing header two minutes later but Bremen held on.

Elsewhere, Cologne and Schalke drew 0-0 while SV Hamburg’s run of three straight victories ended with a 1-0 at Paderborn, with on-loan Rayan Philippe condemning his parent club to defeat in the 88th.

Augsburg and Union Berlin drew 1-1 from a 71st-minute diving header by Han-Noah Massengo for the hosts and Janik Haberer’s equalizer three minutes later. Union had Felix Uduokhai sent off against his former club for a last-man foul, and Augsburg’s Juma Bah followed for a reckless tackle.

Borussia Dortmund host Eintracht Frankfurt in the late game and will go top if they don’t lose. They are tied on points with champions Bayern Munich and one point ahead of Freiburg and Bayer Leverkusen.

Bayern visit Freiburg on Sunday without coach Vincent Kompany, who is in hospital after collapsing on Friday, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and winger Luis Díaz. Leverkusen play the other Sunday game at Hoffenheim.

Borussia Mönchengladbach won 3-2 at VfB Stuttgart on Friday to claim their first points of the season on the seventh attempt.