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Werder beat Bochum 2-0 in 120-minute friendly
MATCH REPORT FROM THE FRIENDLY AGAINST VfL BOCHUM
25/07/26 | 4 Min
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Werder rounded off their training camp in Zillertal with a 2-0 win over VfL Bochum in a hard-fought 120-minute friendly. Paul Erevbenagie opened the scoring in the 42nd minute before Salim Musah added a second from the penalty spot on 70 minutes.
FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTSQuiet start before Erevbenagie breaks the deadlock
Head coach Daniel Thioune was able to welcome Felix Agu and Dariusz Stalmach back into his squad for Werder’s final friendly in Zillertal, with the latter making his first appearance for the club. Agu had been struggling with a muscular problem at the start of pre-season, while Stalmach had initially been rested due to a knee issue. Justin Njinmah, Samuel Mbangula and Karim Coulibaly missed out through illness, while Senne Lynen (abdominal problem), Mitchell Weiser and Julian Malatini (both individual programmes) also remained unavailable.
With perfect conditions in Zell am Ziller, the friendly, which consisted of two halves of 60 minutes, got off to a fairly cautious start. Bochum had the first real effort after winning the ball high up the pitch in Werder’s half, with Berkan Taz getting a shot away from inside the box (12’). Werder threatened for the first time six minutes later. Jens Stage took a quick throw-in to Dawid Kownacki, who shot from a tight angle near the edge of the six-yard box and narrowly missed the target (18’).
There was a brief drinks break after half an hour, but Werder had been given a scare just moments beforehand. Maximilian Wittek delivered a cross into the box and the ball travelled right across the penalty area to Christian Rasmussen on the far side, whose effort from the edge of the box struck the far post (30’).
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Werder went on the attack again after the short break, but Kownacki headed Olivier Deman’s cross over the bar (35’). At the other end, goalkeeper Karl Hein was called into action to keep out an effort from Alessandro Crimaldi (38’).
Thioune’s side then took the lead somewhat out of the blue. Deman sent a long ball over the Bochum defence and Erevbenagie raced onto it, rounded Timo Horn and calmly slotted home to make it 1-0 (42’). There was a brief coming-together around the halfway line shortly afterwards, with Agu and former Werder player Jean Manuel Mbom among those involved.
The final noteworthy moment of the opening 60 minutes also fell Werder’s way. Chuki played an excellent pass through to Deman, but sent his effort narrowly wide from a decent position (52’).
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SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS Musah doubles the lead from the spot
Werder made a number of changes for the second period, as they had done in the previous friendlies against Verden and Okayama. The likes of Darwin Soylu and Luca Höcker were once again among the youngsters given minutes, and they injected plenty of energy into the game. Soylu had Werder’s first two attempts after the restart (62’/66’).
Salim Musah was another of the players introduced and he was at the heart of the next notable moment. His pressure on Philipp Strompf forced the Bochum defender into bringing him down inside the box. Musah stepped up to take the resulting penalty himself and confidently converted to make it 2-0 (70’).
Werder had a big chance to add a third a few minutes later. Erevbenagie again made use of his pace to latch onto a long ball and held off his opponent before finding himself one-on-one with Horn. Rather than shoot, he squared for Musah, whose sliding effort was blocked by a Bochum defender (84’).
The game became increasingly scrappy as the second period wore on, with tactical adjustments and substitutions happening frequently. SVW remained in control and rarely allowed the second-tier side a clear sight of goal, although they were unable to create much more at the other end themselves. Bochum’s best chance of the closing stages fell to Samuel Bamba, who rounded Markus Kolke but was denied by a superb sliding challenge from Oskar Wójcik (115’). Werder therefore saw out a 2-0 win.
The victory over VfL Bochum brings Werder’s training camp in Zillertal to a close. The Green-Whites will return to Bremen on Sunday before heading back on the road for their next friendly. SV Werder will face FC Energie Cottbus away from home on Saturday, 1st August 2026 at 15:00 CEST.
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Match statistics
SV Werder Bremen: Hein (61’ Kolke) – Agu (48’ Quetant), Stark (48’ Schmetgens), Pieper (61’ Wójcik), Deman (61’ Hamouda) – Stage (61’ Čović), Stalmach (35’ Alvero, 61’ Heitmann), Chuki (61’ Soylu) – Erevbenagie (86’ Kownacki), Kownacki (61’ Musah), Grüll (61’ Höcker)
VfL Bochum: Horn – Olsen, Steinwender, Mets, Wittek – Rasmussen, Cokaj, Mbom, Crimaldi – Taz, Hofmann / Subs: Röllecke – Strompf, Karademir, Holtmann, Hanslik, Miyoshi, Drakas, Keumo, Meyer, Koscierski, Isbruch, Sawas
Goals: 1-0 Erevbenagie (42’), 2-0 Musah (70’, pen.)
Yellow cards: Stage, Agu / Crimaldi, Mbom, Strompf, Meyer
Referee: David Astl
Attendance: 2,200
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