LEIPZIG, Aug 14 — Forward Timo Werner scored on his RB Leipzig return on Saturday but his 10-man team twice gave away the lead to settle for a 2-2 draw against visitors Cologne and they remain without a win after two matchdays.
Germany international Werner, who returned to Leipzig this week after two years at Chelsea, fired a dipping shot from outside the box and Cologne keeper Marvin Schwaebe let it slip through his hands in the 36th minute.
The hosts, who drew 1-1 against VfB Stuttgart last week and also lost to Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup, had earlier put the ball in the net twice only for their efforts to be over-ruled by VAR.
Leipzig’s lead was short-lived, with Florian Dietz sliding in to stab in the ball for the equaliser four minutes later after catching the Leipzig defence napping.
The hosts got into even deeper trouble when Dominik Szoboszlai was dismissed with a straight red card for elbowing Florian Kainz in first-half stoppage time.
Christopher Nkunku, Bundesliga’s player of the season in the previous campaign, took matters into his own hands in the 56th and put the hosts in front with a fine finish after a run into the box.
But Cologne bounced back once more courtesy of Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol’s own goal in the 72nd after he turned a corner cross into his own net.
“The red card was a real blow for us,” said Leipzig coach Domenic Tedesco. “But we still did well even with one less.
“It is extremely bitter to concede from a set piece. We have to defend better. The goals that we score should be enough for victory.” Fellow Champions League club Bayer Leverkusen slumped to a 2-1 loss against visiting Augsburg to make it two defeats in a row in a bad start for Gerardo Seoane’s team.
Schalke 04 will also have to wait at least a week for their first win since returning to the Bundesliga, after needing a stoppage-time penalty from Marius Buelter to rescue a 2-2 draw against Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Gladbach had struck twice in six minutes in the second half to come from a goal down and take the lead.
Hoffenheim battled back from a two-goal deficit to clinch a 3-2 win over VfL Bochum thanks to Munas Dabbur’s 88th-minute winner.
Champions Bayern Munich host VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday. — Reuters
