By Gerald Fritsche, dpa
Leipzig, Germany (dpa) – Dominik Szoboszlai struck a double on his long-awaited RB Leipzig starting debut on Friday to crown a magnificent 4-0 win over former Bundesliga leaders VfB Stuttgart.
Last season’s runners-up Leipzig stumbled in their opener 1-0 away to Mainz last week but looked a different team against Stuttgart and could have led even before Szoboszlai’s rocket from the corner of the box broke the deadlock in 38 minutes.
The 20-year-old Hungarian signed for Leipzig in January only to be injured immediately. He now seems determined to make up for lost time.
His second, and Leipzig’s third, was a slightly fortunate 52nd minute free-kick which evaded the crowd in the box to find the net. It came after Emil Forsberg’s brilliant goal, from Andre Silva’s backheel, just 16 seconds into the second half.
“You can’t have a better debut in front of fans,” Szoboszlai told DAZN. “I have gone through an awful lot, it wasn’t easy.
“I’m very happy that we can be in front of fans again and I could score two goals. Today was perfect.
“We reacted very well to the game against Mainz.”
Silva’s penalty then secured his first goal for Leipzig, whose boss Jesse Marsch also tasted his first victory with his new team – in the first all-American Bundesliga coaching duel against compatriot Pellegrino Matarazzo.
“It was a super reaction after our defeat in Mainz,” said Marsch. “It was a super performance from us.”
Stuttgart were outclassed in a total reversal from their 5-1 start against Greuther Fuerth which saw them top the table after matchday one.
“We were chasing a lot,” said Stuttgart keeper Florian Mueller, who initially kept his side in the game with a fine series of saves.
Hoffenheim, one of seven teams on three points, now lead the pack. They host Union Berlin on Sunday before champions Bayern Munich welcome Cologne.
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