What a bitter afternoon for the Green-Whites. After a goalless first half, SVW fell to a 2-1 defeat against 1. FC Union Berlin on Saturday at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. The hosts found the net twice in the space of two minutes through Vertessen (50’) and Aaronson (52’), and while Weiser was able to get one back for Werder (63’), the Green-Whites regrettably had to travel back to Bremen empty-handed.
Line-up and formation: For the clash against FCU, Ole Werner opted to make three changes to the side that stepped out against Borussia Dortmund. After coming back from injury the week prior, Milos Veljkovic was listed in the starting XI on matchday 26, and led the Green-Whites out as captain at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. Olivier Deman and Nick Woltemade also made a return to the line-up.
Werder’s starting XI: Zetterer – Deman, Jung, Stage, Ducksch, Weiser, Veljkovic, Lynen, Njinmah, Malatini, Woltemade.
Bench: Pavlenka, Kownacki, Bittencourt, Keïta, Hansen-Aarøen, Agu, Alvero, Groß, Röcker.
First-half highlights:
13th minute: The hosts have their first chance of the game. Trimmel drives down the right and puts in a cross, but Zetterer is alert and can catch the ball with ease.
45th minute +1: Union deliver a corner, which is met by an incoming Aaronson. He chests it down, and pulls the trigger first-time, but Zetterer comes to the rescue and tips it over the bar.
Second-half highlights:
50th minute: Yorbe Vertessen opens the scoring for Union. The Belgian gets the ball on the edge of the box after Lynen attempts to clear the danger, and he finds the top corner of the Green-White net.
52nd minute: There’s no hanging around for the hosts, as Brenden Aaronson nets their second just two minutes later. After combining with Vertessen in Werder’s box, the American midfielder outwits the Green-White defence and hits one into the bottom left corner.
63rd minute: Weiser gets one back for SVW! Our number 8 zooms into the box and gets his head on a cross to bring the Green-Whites back into the game.
68th minute: Tousart drives into the penalty area in the direction of Zetterer, who makes himself big and sends the Union midfielder’s effort wide of the post for a corner.
90th minute +10: Full time! Werder are defeated 2-1 by 1. FC Union Berlin.
Summary: As expected, the first half of Werder’s meeting with Union was certainly hard-fought, as proven by the six yellow cards that were handed out throughout the 45 minutes. The hosts stepped up after the break and hit home two goals in two minutes, which Weiser responded to not long after, but it wasn’t enough for the Green-Whites to pick up any points from the game.
