Leipzig see off Augsburg in Liverpool tune-up
BERLIN: RB Leipzig tuned up for their Champions League clash against Liverpool with a 2-1 home Bundesliga win over Augsburg on Friday amid reports defender Dayot Upamecano will join Bayern Munich next season.
In sub-zero temperatures, Leipzig warmed up for Liverpool with goals by Dani Olmo and Christopher Nkunku giving them a 2-0 lead at half-time.
After Nordi Mukiele was fouled in the area, Olmo had his first penalty attempt saved by Augsburg goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz.
However, VAR ordered the spot-kick retaken after Gikiewicz was judged to have stepped off his line and Olmo made no mistake with his second attempt.
Nkunku doubled the lead soon after when Yussuf Poulsen presented him with a simple tap-in just before half-time.
Augsburg pulled a goal back when midfielder Daniel Caligiuri converted a penalty 13 minutes from the end.—AFP
Bologna, Benevento play draw
BOLOGNA: Coach Filippo Inzaghi returned to his former Bologna club and watched his Benevento side recover a 1-1 draw in the snow and leapfrog the hosts in the Serie A table on Friday.
Inzaghi was fired by Bologna in 2019.
Bologna made a perfect start when the unmarked Nicola Sansone scored after 55 seconds, pouncing on Musa Barrow’s blocked shot.
Bologna dominated for the first hour in thickening snow.
Ginaluca Caparari missed an equaliser before halftime when he hit the post, but Nicolas Viola claimed it in the second half with a brilliant back-heeled flick after a mistake by goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski.
The teams swapped places in the standings, Benevento up to 13th and Bologna down to 14th.—AP
Mina brace helps Celta beat Elche
MADRID: Striker Santi Mina scored twice as Celta Vigo showed off their talented attack in beating Elche 3-1 in the La Liga on Friday.
Celta’s first win in seven rounds lifted them into ninth place. Elche were left second-to-last in the relegation zone.
Mina opened the scoring in the 45th minute after he received an exquisite pass by Nolito, who used a skillful touch to redirect a ball from Iago Aspas that left Mina with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Aspas and Nolito combined again a minute later to set up Brais Mndez and give the hosts a 2-0 lead into halftime.
An error by Celta goalkeeper Ruben Blanco let Elche pull one back in the 50th. Trying to avoid giving Elche a corner kick, Blanco pawed a ball that was going over the end-line back into play. The ball went directly to Elches Guido Carillo, who assisted Emiliano Rogini to score into an empty net.
Mina put the result beyond doubt in the 69th when he volleyed in a cross by Augusto Solari.—AP
Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2021
