BERLIN: RB Leipzig eased past Hertha Berlin 3-0 on Sunday to cut the gap with leaders Bayern Munich to two points with their fourth consecutive Bundesliga victory.

Marcel Sabitzer put the visitors in front in the 28th minute with a ferocious shot from 30 metres that went straight into the top corner with Hertha goalkeeper Rune Jarstein frozen to the spot on a sunny afternoon in the capital.

Nordi Mukiele then took advantage of a mistake by Hertha’s Matteo Guendouzi in the box to drill the ball in and double their lead in the 71st before Willi Orban headed in Leipzig’s third goal in the 84th to seal the win.

The Saxony club are in second place on 47 points, with Bayern top on 49 following their 2-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday. VfL Wolfsburg and Frankfurt are on 42 in third and fourth place respectively.

“It’s nice that we’re mixing at the top again. It’s also important to have a bit of tranquility for our goal of Champions League qualification,” Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann said. “We have to stay focused and try to win our games.”

Hertha are now without a win in their last eight league games and are stuck in 15th place, level on 18 points with 16th Arminia Bielefeld, who sit in the relegation playoff spot.

Bayer Leverkusen lost further ground in their own race for a top-four spot, needing a last-gasp equaliser from Burkina Faso defender Edmond Tapsoba to snatch a 1-1 draw against Augsburg and rescue a point.

Leverkusen, who have won only one of their last five games, are in fifth place on 37 points. Augsburg remained 13th, just five points above the relegation zone.

Hoffenheim earned their first win in the last four matches when they eased past Werder Bremen 4-0 to move above the visitors in 11th place.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2021