RB Leipzig 3-1 FC Koln Player Ratings: Romulo 9/10 Rated as Home Side Dominates in a 3-1 Victory

RB Leipzig put on a commanding display to secure a convincing 3-1 win over a struggling FC Koln. From our perspective, the game was sealed in the wild final few minutes of the first half. It was a classic Bundesliga encounter, full of energy and decisive moments.

The action started early. We noticed Leipzig's intent right from the kickoff. Assan Ouedraogo bundled one in after just 13 minutes, setting the tone for the hosts. However, FC Koln showed some fight, with Jan Thielmann finding a smart finish to level the scores. It felt like we might have a real contest on our hands.

But Leipzig had other ideas. Just before the halftime whistle, the game exploded. Romulo pounced to restore the lead, and then, in stoppage time, David Raum curled in a breathtaking free-kick. That third goal felt like a dagger to the heart for Koln, and they never truly recovered. The second half was more about game management for Leipzig, who saw out the victory with professional ease in this match. Here are the RB Leipzig vs FC Koln player ratings.

RB Leipzig Player Ratings vs FC Koln

RB Leipzig player ratings vs FC Koln.

Goalkeeper

Péter Gulácsi - 6.5: Had very little to do for most of the game. He couldn't do much about the goal he conceded. Claimed a couple of high balls and punched one clear, but this was a spectator's day for him.

Defenders

Willi Orbán - 7.5: A rock at the back. He was a defensive stalwart, making a massive seven clearances. What stood out was his clearance off the line, a game-defining moment. He missed a big chance himself, but his defensive contribution was immense.

Ridle Baku - 6.0: A mixed bag of a performance from our perspective. He was energetic getting forward, but looked defensively vulnerable. Picked up a deserved yellow card for a clumsy challenge. He lost possession a bit too easily for our liking before being subbed off.

David Raum - 8.5: Absolutely brilliant. Scored a sensational free-kick that essentially killed the game. He was a constant threat down the left, whipping in 13 crosses and creating three chances. Recovered the ball 10 times, too.

Castello Lukeba - 5.5: Looked like the weak link in the Leipzig defense today. He won only two of his six duels and seemed to struggle with the physicality of Köln's attackers. An uncomfortable afternoon for the young defender who needs to find his footing.

Midfielders

Johan Bakayoko - 6.5: Showed flashes of his talent. He created a big chance and completed a couple of nice dribbles. However, he was also caught offside and wasn't as influential as he could have been. A decent, but not spectacular, outing for him.

Nicolas Seiwald - 6.5: A tidy and industrious performance in the middle of the park. He kept the ball moving with an 81% pass accuracy and made a few important clearances. He did his job without any fuss, a solid if unspectacular evening's work.

Christoph Baumgartner - 6.5: A frustrating player to watch. He provided the assist for the second goal but also missed a sitter of a header. He lost possession 10 times, which is far too many. Showed moments of quality but lacked the final product.

Assan Ouédraogo - 7.5: What a shame his game was cut short by injury. He was electric for the 58 minutes he was on, scoring the opener with a poacher's finish. His energy and directness were causing all sorts of problems. Hopefully, the injury isn't too serious.

Yan Diomande - 6.0: Worked hard but it just didn't quite come off for him. He was involved in some nice build-up play, but his decision-making in the final third let him down. Lost possession far too often for our liking.

Attackers

Rômulo - 9.0: The highest-rated player and our man of the match. An absolutely phenomenal performance. He scored a crucial goal, provided an assist, and was a constant menace in the air, winning four aerial duels. His link-up play was superb, a complete centre-forward's performance.

Substitutes

Ezechiel Banzuzi - N/A: Came on for the injured Ouédraogo but didn't have enough time to make a significant impact.

Kosta Nedeljkovic - N/A: A late cameo with the game already won.

Conrad Harder - N/A: Brought on for the final 10 minutes to see the game out.

Kevin Kampl - N/A: Came on in the 90th minute.

Andrija Maksimovic - N/A: A stoppage-time substitute.

Manager

O. Werner - 8.0: His tactical setup was perfect. His team attacked with purpose and ruthlessly punished Köln's mistakes. The decision to press high paid off handsomely. A well-deserved victory engineered by a smart game plan.

FC Koln Player Ratings vs RB Leipzig

Here are the FC Koln player ratings vs RB Leipzig.

Goalkeeper

Marvin Schwäbe - 7.5: He conceded three goals, but it could have been so much worse. Pulled off five saves, all from inside the box. He was left exposed by his defense time and again. A heroic effort in a losing cause, he can hold his head high.

Defenders

Joël Schmied - 5.5: He had a tough time dealing with Leipzig's fluid attack. While he made seven clearances, he was often chasing shadows. A difficult day at the office for the entire backline, and he was no exception.

Timo Hübers - 5.5: A very tough afternoon. He was good on the ball with 100% pass accuracy but struggled defensively. Won just two of his six aerial duels and was part of a defense that looked all at sea. Not his finest hour.

Tom Krauß - 6.0: He worked tirelessly, but it was a struggle. He tried to get forward and create, but his primary job was defending, and the team conceded three. A commendable effort but ultimately not enough.

Sebastian Sebulonsen - 6.0: Provided a real threat going forward, creating three chances from the wing. However, he was defensively suspect and caught out of position on a few occasions. An unbalanced performance, which is why he was likely subbed.

Midfielders

Eric Martel - 6.0: The hero and the villain. He provided a wonderful assist for the equalizer but then gave away a needless free-kick and got a yellow card, from which Leipzig scored their third. A moment of quality undone by a moment of madness. Subbed off after that.

Jakub Kaminski - 5.5: A really ineffective performance. He lost possession 13 times and his crossing was wayward. He worked back defensively but offered very little going forward. A passenger for large parts of the game.

Ísak Jóhannesson - 6.0: Neat and tidy in possession but played it too safe. When your team is chasing the game, you need more penetration from your midfielders. He kept the ball well but didn't hurt the opposition.

Attackers

Luca Waldschmidt - 5.0: Almost completely anonymous. He had one shot blocked and just 21 touches before being hooked. You expect so much more from a player of his quality. A really disappointing display.

Jan Thielmann - 7.0: The one bright spark for Köln. He took his goal really well and was a livewire until he was surprisingly substituted. He looked like the only one capable of making something happen for the visitors. A strong performance in a losing team.

Marius Bülter - 5.5: Made little impact before being forced off with an injury at halftime. Only had 24 touches and couldn't get into the game. An unfortunate and forgettable outing for him.

Substitutes

Said El Mala - 6.0: Came on and had a couple of shots blocked, but couldn't change the game's outcome.

Linton Maina - 6.0: Added a bit of energy but lacked the quality to unlock the Leipzig defense.

Denis Huseinbasic - N/A: Not on long enough to be rated.

Ragnar Ache - 5.5: Missed a huge chance shortly after coming on that could have made things interesting.

Florian Kainz - N/A: Came on late and couldn't influence the proceedings.

Manager

L. Kwasniok - 5.0: His team looked defensively chaotic and were deservedly beaten. The defensive setup for the first and third goals was particularly poor. His substitutions didn't have the desired effect. A tough day and a lot to think about.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match is Romulo