Also on Wednesday, Hamburg fought lower back from desires down to conquer Karlsruhe on penalties in a warfare of fallen giants.
Frenchman Nkunku has scored in each of Leipzig's last four Bundesliga games and took his tally to 11 for the reason that start of January with goals inside the 17th and twenty second minutes.
Both goals got here on the counter-assault, for the primary Nkunku sidestepped a defender on the threshold of the box and guided a shot into the nook of the internet. For the second one, he outpaced the defence and skipped spherical keeper Ron-Robert Zieler
Konrad Laimer introduced more within the 2nd 1/2.
With the three clubs above them in the Bundesliga - Bayern Munich, Dortmund and Leverkusen - already eliminated, Leipzig are the best-positioned club left inside the opposition as they chase the first major trophy of their history.
In a meeting of two former German Cup winners now gambling inside the second department, Hamburg fought again from two dreams down to attract 2-2 and then received the shootout 3-2.
Karlsruhe jumped to a -goal after fifty one minutes in Hamburg with moves by way of Philip Heise and Philipp Hofmann.
A minute after the site visitors' second aim, Robert Glatzel headed in for the house team.
In the 72nd minute, Christophe Kobald gave away a penalty for a ride and additionally earned a second yellow card.
