Leipzig's Diego Demme, right, celebrates with teammate Leipzig's Emil Forsberg after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League group G soccer match between Zenit St. Petersburg and RB Leipzig at the Saint Petersburg stadium in St.Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) - Leipzig beat Zenit St. Petersburg 2-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday, moving to the verge of qualifying from the group stage for the first time.
Star forward Timo Werner had scored five goals and assisted five more in Leipzig's previous two games, but was only used as a substitute in Russia as his teammates took their chance to shine.
Leipzig's Marcel Halstenberg thought he'd scored in the 14th minute with a deflected shot, but it was disallowed after video review of a handball in the build-up.
The breakthrough came with the last kick of the first half as Diego Demme hammered in a rebound after Marcel Sabitzer's free kick hit the wall.
Zenit started to play higher up the field and was exposed in the 63rd when Emil Forsberg played Sabitzer in with a through ball. The Austrian sent goalkeeper Mikhail Kerzhakov sprawling and finished calmly to score Leipzig's second goal.
Freezing temperatures and snow in St. Petersburg meant the game was played with the Gazprom Arena's roof closed.
Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulasci, playing his 150th game for the club, made two good saves to stop Sardar Azmoun on counterattacks, but otherwise the defensively-minded Russian club lacked creativity.
The German club's third win leaves it top of Group G with nine points and able to secure qualification for the knockout stages for the first time with a win against Benfica on Nov. 27.
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Zenit's Wilmar Barrios, left, fights for the ball with Leipzig's Yussuf Poulsen during the Champions League group G soccer match between Zenit St. Petersburg and RB Leipzig at the Saint Petersburg stadium in St.Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
Zenit's Yaroslav Rakitskiy, left, Zenit's Branislav Ivanovic, enter, fight for the ball with Leipzig's Dayot Upamecano, right, during the Champions League group G soccer match between Zenit St. Petersburg and RB Leipzig at the Saint Petersburg stadium in St.Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
Leipzig's head coach Julian Nagelsmann waits for the start of the Champions League group G soccer match between Zenit St.Petersburg and RB Leipzig at the Saint Petersburg stadium in St.Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
Zenit's head coach Sergei Semak waits for the start of the Champions League group G soccer match between Zenit St.Petersburg and RB Leipzig at the Saint Petersburg stadium in St.Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
Zenit's Artem Dzyuba, centre, scuffles with Leipzig's Dayot Upamecano, centre left, during the Champions League group G soccer match between Zenit St. Petersburg and RB Leipzig at the Saint Petersburg stadium in St.Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
Leipzig's Yussuf Poulsen controls the ball during the Champions League group G soccer match between Zenit St. Petersburg and RB Leipzig at the Saint Petersburg stadium in St.Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press