27.08.2017 17:48 h

Werner double helps Leipzig floor Freiburg

Germany striker Timo Werner netted twice as RB Leipzig came from behind to floor Freiburg 4-1 on Sunday and get their Bundesliga season on track.

All four Leipzig goals came after the break as they roared back after a poor first half on the back of losing their opening match of the season 2-0 at Schalke last weekend.

Werner's goals were a timely reminder for Germany head coach Joachim Loew, who included the fleet-footed forward for World Cup qualifiers against the Czech Republic on Friday in Prague and against Norway in Stuttgart four days later.

Werner and his forward partner Jean-Kevin Augustin were instrumental in turning the game around.

Freiburg took a deserved lead at the Red Bull Arena when left winger Marco Terrazzino escaped his marker and Florian Niederlechner slotted home his cross on 24 minutes.

But Leipzig flew out of the blocks for the second half and were level within three minutes as a corner by Emil Forsberg was headed home by Werner.

Leipzig then took the lead when captain Willi Orban tapped home on 55 minutes after some good work by new signing Augustin, recruited from Paris Saint-Germain.

The Frenchman raced down the right wing before firing in a cross which centre-back Orban simply had to tap home.

Augustin then provided the killer pass which put Werner into space to slot home his second on 69 minutes and make it 3-1.

Augustin made way for Portuguese midfielder Bruma on 76 minutes and just two minutes later the new signing from Galatasaray netted with a stunning shot from the edge of the area.

To compound Freiburg's misery, midfielder Nicolas Hoefler was sent off inside the final 10 minutes after his foul on Forsberg saw him earn a second yellow.

A fortnight before they make their Champions League debut at home to Monaco, the victory was a timely confidence booster for Leipzig.

On Saturday, two goals from Robert Lewandowski sealed a 2-0 win for defending champions Bayern Munich at Werder Bremen.

Borussia Dortmund are top of the fledgling table on goal difference from Bayern after a 2-0 win at home to Hertha Berlin, with goals by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nuri Sahin.