Sawt Falasteen - Leipzig pummel Hoffenheim to climb to third

Benjamin Henrichs's first goal in more than two and a half years rounded out the dominant victory.

The win took Leipzig, who failed to qualify for Europe for the first time in their history last season, from fifth to third as they returned to the top four for the first time since January.

Leipzig finished the night level on 50 points with fourth-placed Stuttgart, who play at Augsburg on Sunday.

Hoffenheim's hopes of taking a major step towards a second Champions League qualification were shredded in a first-half Leipzig blitz.

Gruda, on a six-month loan from Brighton, poked home a Romulo rebound with 17 minutes gone to give the hosts the lead.

Four minutes later, Diomande found Leipzig captain David Raum, who spun a cross over the face of goal for Baumgartner to head home.

Gruda set up Baumgartner's second on the half hour, floating in a long pass which the Austrian controlled with his chest before blasting home while falling.

The damage continued just before half-time when Diomande threaded a pinpoint pass to an unmarked Gruda at the far post, setting up the German's first career brace.

Despite seeming troubled by a shoulder injury, Diomande found the net with an excellent long-range effort just before the break, but the goal was cancelled out when VAR discovered a narrow offside in the build up.

Henrichs added a fifth with 12 minutes remaining, collecting the ball on the turn before slapping the ball into the top of the net.

The goal was Henrich's first since August 2023 as the former Germany full-back continued his return from a torn Achilles.

H.Darwish--SF-PST