Werder seal shootout win in DFB-Pokal thriller!

Werder book quarterfinal slot after 4-2 shootout win
Jiri Pavlenka was the shootout hero, saving two BVB spot kicks.(Photo: Nordphoto).
Match Report
Tuesday, 05.02.2019 / 23:39

What an historic evening! Werder Bremen have booked their spot in the DFB-Pokal quarterfinals after a sensational, pulsating victory against Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund. The Green-Whites won 4-2 on penalties after the match ended 3-3 in front of 83,365 fans in Dortmund. Milot Rashica fired the visitors in front inside five minutes, before BVB captain Marco Reus leveled on the stroke of half time from a free kick. With the tie hanging in the balance, Dortmund twice took the lead in extra time through Christian Pulisic (105') and Achraf Hakimi (113'), but the resilient Werder side fought back both times to level through substitutes Claudio Pizarro (108') and Martin Harnik (119'). Jiri Pavlenka saved BVB's first two penalties to hand Kohfeldt's men the advantage and it was captain Max Kruse who eventually sealed the emphatic win.

Line-up and formation

Florian Kohfeldt made two changes to the team that drew away at Nürnberg three days ago. Sebastian Langkamp replaced Milos Veljkovic in central defence, while Philipp Bargfrede started in place of Martin Harnik in an all-round more defensive line-up than usual. Nuri Şahin provided an additional anchor between Langkamp and Niklas Moisander in defence and the midfield, which was flanked by Theo Gebre Selassie and Ludwig Augustinsson. Bargfrede swept up in central midfield, allowing Davy Klaassen and Maximilian Eggestein to build attacks. Milot Rashica led the line alongside captain Max Kruse.

Rashica unable to double tally

[Translate to Englisch:] Nadelstich gleich zu Beginn - Rashica und Kruse bejubeln ihre Co-Produktion zur Führung (Foto: Nordphoto).

First half highlights

5th min: GOOOOOOAL, 1-0 to Werder, Milot Rashica. What a start for the Green-Whites! Kruse fires a direct free kick goalwards from 20 yards and Rashica pounces in the box to beat Diallo to a slight, but vital touch and turn the ball in past BVB goalkeeper Oelschlägel.

14th min: A first real chance for the hosts, who have Werder pegged back in their own penalty box. Pulisic crosses in from the right to Götze, whose audacious back-heel trickles wide of the post.

21th min: BVB continue to put pressure on Werder, this time Guerreiro firing wide from another low cross.

32th min: Big chance, but sadly no second goal. Klaassen takes the ball in his stride and plays an inch-perfect ball to Rashica, who strikes wide right.

39th min: Werder are struggling to leave their own half, but are holding firm against the Dortmund attack.

43th min: From a similar position to the opener, Kruse fires another free kick towards goal, but the direct effort is parried wide by Oelschlägel.

45th+ 3 min: GOAL, 1-1, Marco Reus. Sigh. Reus curls a fine free kick from the edge of the box – not a lot Pavlenka could have done about that one.

Ex-Werder keeper elschlägel saves BVB

Maximilian Eggestein and Werder held off the BVB attack for long spells (Photo: Nordphoto).

54th min: Gebre Selassie tees up Kruse with a back heel on the edge, but Oelschlägel denies the Werder captain yet again with a quick-reaction stop.

81st min: Werder are on the attack and Kruse lays it off for substitute Möhwald, who can’t keep his long-range effort down.

89th min: SO CLOSE! Kruse fires yet another free kick towards goal, but it takes a deflection off Weigl and changes course. Somehow Oelschlägel is able to react to the change in direction and deny the winner with a sensational reflex save. Wonder where he learnt to do that…

90th + 1 min: Crossbar! A big let-off for Werder, as Delaney’s header rattles the top of the crossbar and out for a goal kick. Extra time, here we come!

Harnik header takes the game to penalties

Max Kruse battles with former teammate Thomas Delaney (Photo: Nordphoto).

91st min: Extra time is under way and Kohfeldt throws caution to the wind, bringing on Pizarro for Bargfrede.

105th min: GOAL, 2-1 to BVB, Christian Pulisic. Heartbreaking. Witsel wins a key header in the centre circle and starts a BVB attack. Pulisic picks the ball up from Alcacer and slots past Pavlenka from eight yards.

108th min: GOOOOOOOOOOAL, 2-2, Claudio Pizarro. WHAT A GOAL! Gebre Selassie delivers a deep cross and Möhwald knocks it down to the near post where Pizarro is waiting to slot home clinically.

113rd min: GOAL, 3-2 to BVB, Achraf Hakimi. This cannot be happening. Philipp drives down the right and cuts into the box, squares the ball to Hakimi who scores. No free kick for hand ball in the build-up?

 119th min:GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAL; 3-3, Martin Harnik. IS THIS REAL LIFE? Harnik heads in to take the match to penalties!

Pavlenka saves twice as Werder hold their nerve

He came, he saw, he won, (Nordphoto).

The coin-flip Gods have spoken – we’ll be shooting towards our travelling fans.

SAVED, 0-0! Pavlas denies Alcacer!

GOAL! Claudio Pizarro, 0-1. The Peruvian fires into the bottom right.

SAVED AGAIN! Maximilian Philipp, 0-1. YES! Pavlenka dives the right way to save again!

GOAL! Maximilian Eggestein, 0-2. Cool as you like from the youngster.

GOAL, Axel Witsel, 1-2. The Belgian converts to cut the lead.

GOAL, Davy Klaassen, 1-3. Match point for Werder.

GOAL, Julian Weigl, 2-3. Pavlenka gets close, but it still goes in.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! Max Kruse, 2-4. The captain holds his nerves to send Werder into the quarter-final draw!

Summary

The Green-Whites served up the perfect display against one of Europe’s top sides. Compact, resilient and hard-working, Kohfeldt’s team restricted the Dortmund attack for most of regular time, while causing problems of their own at the other end. Werder battled for every ball, transitioned quickly as soon as possession changed hand and worked tirelessly at both ends of the pitch.

When hope looked lost as the hosts twice took the lead in extra time, no heads dropped and no player refused to be beaten. It was a game that had everything and in the end, Werder walked off the pitch deserved winners, with 8,000 travelling fans in raptures and even more back at home.

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