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Leipzig Finally End Away Curse As Nusa And Rômulo Sink Schalke
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- Leipzig Finally End Away Curse As Nusa And Rômulo Sink Schalke
(IMAGO / STEINSIEK.CH)
RB Leipzig secured their first Bundesliga away victory of the season on Saturday, defeating Schalke 04 2-0 at the Veltins-Arena thanks to goals from Antonio Nusa and Rômulo.
After losing their opening three away league matches, Martín Demichelis's side finally delivered the result they had been searching for, combining attacking dominance with a clean sheet against the newly promoted hosts.
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Nusa opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 37th minute before setting up Rômulo for the decisive second goal in the 78th.
The Norwegian was once again Leipzig's most influential attacking player, taking his Bundesliga tally to four goals and six assists in eight appearances.
The victory moves the club into fourth place with 15 points and provides a timely boost ahead of Wednesday's Champions League encounter against Manchester City.
Nusa Breaks The Deadlock From The Penalty Spot
Demichelis selected Rômulo as his central striker, supported by Nusa and Brajan Gruda, while Rocco Reitz, Ezechiel Banzuzi and Neil El Aynaoui formed the midfield three.
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The Red Bulls started positively but initially found it difficult to break through Schalke's defensive structure.
The hosts threatened early through Junior Adamu, while Adil Aouchiche struck the crossbar with a free-kick delivery.
However, Leipzig soon began creating the clearer opportunities.
Nusa tested Loris Karius, while Rômulo sent a header over the crossbar as the visitors increased the pressure.
The breakthrough arrived in the 37th minute when Schalke midfielder Satoshi Tanaka lost possession inside his own penalty area and fouled Rômulo while attempting to recover.
Nusa stepped up and confidently converted the resulting penalty, giving Leipzig a deserved advantage.
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Die Roten Bullen thought they had doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time when Rômulo converted a rebound following Gruda's effort.
However, VAR intervened after replays showed that the ball had already crossed the byline, leaving the score at 1-0 heading into the break.
Karius Keeps Schalke In The Contest
Leipzig continued to dominate after half-time but were repeatedly frustrated by Schalke goalkeeper Loris Karius.
The former Liverpool goalkeeper produced several important saves, including an impressive stop to deny Banzuzi following a combination with Nusa.
Karius also kept out another effort from the Norwegian as Leipzig searched for the second goal that would put the contest beyond Schalke.
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Demichelis's team finished with 18 shots, including ten on target, while Schalke managed only six attempts and tested Maarten Vandevoordt just once.
Nevertheless, the hosts briefly threatened an equaliser when Rômulo was forced to clear the ball off the line following a corner in the 49th minute.
Leipzig's defensive organisation held firm, with Willi Orbán and Castello Lukeba helping prevent Schalke from creating sustained pressure.
Rômulo Rewards Demichelis's Selection Decision
The decisive second goal arrived in the 78th minute following an excellent attacking move involving three Leipzig substitutes and starters.
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Christoph Baumgartner initiated the attack before Tidiam Gomis found Nusa in a dangerous position.
The Norwegian delivered a pass across the penalty area, allowing Rômulo to finish from close range and secure all three points.
It was another important contribution from the Brazilian striker, who had scored twice against Elversberg the previous weekend.
Demichelis's decision to start Rômulo proved justified, with the forward winning the penalty for Leipzig's opener before scoring the second himself.
His performance also demonstrated the value of having a recognised centre-forward against opponents defending in numbers.
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Rômulo's movement inside the penalty area consistently occupied Schalke's central defenders, creating opportunities for Nusa and the supporting midfielders.
Nusa Takes His Bundesliga Tally To Ten Goal Contributions
Nusa's performance was another reminder of his remarkable development this season.
The 21-year-old was directly involved in both Leipzig goals, converting the first and assisting the second.
With four goals and six assists from eight Bundesliga appearances, the Norwegian now has ten direct goal contributions, placing him at the top of the league's attacking charts following Matchday 8.
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His influence was particularly evident against Schalke, where Leipzig needed a player capable of turning possession into clear opportunities.
Beyond his penalty and assist, Nusa repeatedly threatened Karius and forced the hosts to defend deeper.
For Demichelis, his consistency has become one of Leipzig's greatest attacking strengths.
Leipzig End Away Struggles Before Manchester City Clash
The victory represents an important step forward for Leipzig after a frustrating start to their Bundesliga away campaign.
Despite winning all four of their opening home league matches, the Red Bulls had previously failed to collect a single point on their travels.
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Against Schalke, they controlled approximately 60 percent of possession, registered ten shots on target and kept a clean sheet.
It was a considerably more balanced performance than their previous away outings, with Leipzig creating chances without repeatedly exposing themselves defensively.
The result also extends the momentum generated by their recent victories over Elversberg and Rot-Weiss Essen.
Demichelis will now turn his attention to Wednesday's Champions League fixture against Manchester City before Leipzig return to Bundesliga action at home against Augsburg on Saturday.
After weeks of questions surrounding their away performances, Leipzig finally have a league victory on the road to build upon.
