Football: Leipzig tighten hold on second spot with 1-0 over Leverkusen

LEIPZIG, Germany: Christopher Nkunku fired in a second-half winner as RB Leipzig beat rivals Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 to tighten their hold on second place and open up a five-point lead over third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.

After a lacklustre first half where Leipzig did not have a single shot on target, the hosts struck six minutes after the break with Nkunku drilling in following some sloppy defending.

Leverkusen, who have now won just one of their last seven league games, were lucky not to concede again when Alexander Sorloth hit the post and keeper Lukas Hradecky denied Dani Olmo on the rebound a little later.

Second-placed Leipzig moved up to 38 points, seven behind leaders Bayern Munich, winners 4-1 over Hoffenheim.

The visitors, without Germany international Nadiem Amiri who had tested positive for COVID-19, had their best chance in the 89th minute when Argentine striker Lucas Alario was denied by keeper Peter Gulacsi.

Leverkusen's fifth loss in the last seven league matches saw them drop to fourth on 32 points.