Koln vs RB Leipzig 02/06/20

02 June 2020

Koln and RB Leipzig will face off against each other at the RheinEnergieStadion in what promises to be a ‘high-scoring’ Bundesliga (BL) affair. Indeed, three of their last four top-flight H2Hs have witnessed over 2.5 goals and both sides on the scoresheet.

A 3-1 away defeat to TSG Hoffenheim last time out now means the hosts are winless in four consecutive league matches (D2, L2), with each of those games seeing over 2.5 goals and both teams on the scoresheet. The one thing Koln can count on here is that they’ve suffered just one loss in six BL home fixtures since the turn of the year (W3, D2), with each of those four results (win/loss) yielding at least a two-goal margin. However, ‘Die Geißböcke’ have yet to beat Leipzig in a top-flight H2H meeting (D1, L1). In order to improve that record, Koln would have to avoid conceding the opening goal since they managed just two points from five BL home games in which they’ve shipped the opener (D2, L3).

Meanwhile, the visitors, who enjoy a nine-game unbeaten league run (W3, D6), need to pick up three points to keep pace with fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen. Curiously, none of Leipzig’s last five BL away matches has seen both teams score (W2, D2, L1), with each of their three results during that period yielding a multiple-goal margin. The league’s joint-best away defense has shipped just 13 goals on the road so far, but lapses in concentration after the halftime have seen 69% (nine) of those goals come in the second half of play. That’s a sharp contrast to Leipzig’s quick away starts. They’ve found the back of the net inside the opening 15 minutes of play in five of 14 BL trips so far, shutting out their rivals in the same period in all 14.