3 points!

Werder beat Wolfsburg 3-2
What a performance from Rashica! (Photo: nordphoto)
Match Report
Sunday, 01.12.2019 / 19:54

What a win! Werder defeat VfL Wolfsburg in a 3-2 victory and take home all three points. Werder took an early lead through Milot Rashica’s penalty in the 13th minute, which was later cancelled out by Weghorst’s equaliser (36’). However, Werder managed to restore their lead shortly before the break through a diving header by Leonardo Bittencourt (2-1). VfL Wolfsburg started the second half as the better team and put SVW under immense pressure. Their dominance paid off in the 73rd minute as William netted an equaliser for the hosts. However, Bremen secured all three points as Rashica’s second seven minutes from time proved to be the winner (83’).

Line-up and formation: Head coach Florian Kohfeldt made two changes to the team that started last week’s defeat against Schalke 04. Leonardo Bittencourt and Christian Groß returned to the starting XI in place of Nuri Sahin and Sebastian Langkamp, who dropped to the bench. Werder started the game in a fluid 4-1-4-1 system.

Werder’s starting XI: Pavlenka, Augustinsson, Groß, Veljkovic, Gebre Selassie, Bargfrede, Rashica, Klaassen, M. Eggestein, Bittencourt, Osako

On the bench: Kapino, Lang, Pizarro, Langkamp, Sahin, Sargent, J. Eggestein, Friedl, Goller.

Werder’s bravery pays off

Milot Rashica stays ice-cold from the spot (Photo: nordphoto)

The highlights from the first half:

6th minute: Phew! Wolfsburg almost take the lead! A cross is whipped in from the right hand side and Joao Victor meets it but can’t keep his header down and the ball flies over the crossbar.

11th minute: VAR is checking for a potential penalty after the ball hit the hand of Guilavogui in his own box...

12th minute: Penalty to Werder! The referee points to the spot after reviewing the incident. Huge chance for Werder!

13th minute: GOAL FOR WERDER! Rashica stays ice-cold from 12 yards and gives Werder the lead. The Kosovan sends the keeper the wrong way and finds the back of the net!

17th minute: What a save by Pavlenka! Weghorst steals the ball off Groß in his own half and plays in Joao Victor who only has the keeper to beat. Pavlenka makes himself big and makes a great save with his foot to deny the hosts an equaliser.

36th minute: Goal for Wolfsburg. 1-1. Mehmedi whips in the cross, finding Brooks who manages to get his head on it. Weghorst pounces on the second ball quickest and bundles the ball over the line with his knee. Game on!

39th minute: GOAL FOR WERDER! 2-1! What a reply from the visitors. Leonardo Bittencourt restores their lead. Klaassen carries the ball through the midfield and lays it off for Augustinsson. The full-back runs onto the ball with pace and whips it into the middle, finding Bittencourt who stoops down to head the ball into the net. What a goal!

45th minute + 1: Half time! Werder lead 2-1 in a tense game. If the Green-Whites play in the second half as they did in the first then they have a great chance of picking up their first Bundesliga win since September.

A late winner for Werder!

Maximilian Eggestein set up Rashica's second goal brilliantly (Photo: nordphoto)

The highlights from the second half:

61st minute: Wolfsburg have a goal disallowed after Bruma redirected a free-kick into the Werder goal. VAR intervened and determined that the goal was offside. Phew.

73rd minute: William scores the equaliser for the Wolves. The hosts up the pressure in front of Bremen’s area and their efforts are rewarded with a goal. Guilavogui lays it off to William at the edge of the box, and the latter’s shot from distance finds its way into the bottom corner.

78th minute: Another chance for Werder to take the lead, after Sargent saves it on the end line and plays it to Osako, who then lays it off for Maximilian Eggestein. Eggestein gets the ball on his feet but sends his shot sailing over the crossbar from ten metres out.

83rd minute: Finally! Rashica scores his second of the night to make it 3-2. Maximilian Eggestein does well to stop Brekalo at the Werder box and dribbles all the way into the opponents half before sending Rashica through on goal. The Kosovan lays on the speed before placing the ball into the far corner.

90th minute + 5: It’s all over! Werder defeat Wolfsburg by a score of 3-2.

Summary: Werder fight to a well-deserved victory in Wolfsburg, but benefitted from a bit of luck as well. Despite a confident and self-assured start to the game leading to Werder taking a narrow lead into the break, it was Wolfsburg who appeared the better team during the first 45 minutes. The hosts continued to dominate the game up until they scored the equaliser. Werder gave it their all during the final 15 minutes and were rewarded for their efforts. Overall, it was a match that didn’t always look as though it would end in victory for the Green-Whites, but luckily that ended up being the case. As a result, Werder move up to 12th in the table and can take a hefty bit of self-confidence with them into next weekend’s match against Paderborn.

 

 
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