What a relief for Werder on the 24th matchday! Almost exactly three weeks after the DFB Cup victory in Leverkusen, Bremen were back for more, with an incredible 4-1 win! A hat-trick from Pizarro plus the opener from Fin Bartels were enough to make sure that the Djilobodji own goal didn’t amount to anything.
Formation and line-up: The captain was back on board replacing Sambou Yatabaré, who missed out due to a family bereavement. Werder played a 4-1-4-1 formation with the usual defence. Ujah started on the bench and Öztunali took his place in the starting eleven, playing on the wing.
Match highlights
5’ GOOAAAL! Junuzovic swings in a free kick and Djilobodji touches it back into the middle from the back post. Fin Bartels is on hand to hammer the ball home! What a start for the Green-Whites.
24’ Chance for Leverkusen. A diagonal ball over the top form Chicharito releases Hilbert, but he fires his shot into the side-netting from inside the box.
40’ Gebre Selassie tackles on the edge of the box giving Pizarro the chance to turn and shoot, but his effort is sent over the bar.
45+2’ Half time and the Werder lead is fully deserved.
53‘ First really good chance for Leverkusen as Bellarabi plays in Chicharito, but Wiedwald is on hand to make the save.
55’ GOAL! Pizarro tackles the last man and runs through one-on-one before cheekily chipping Leno! Unbelievable goal and Werder are 2-0 to the good!
56’ Leverkusen react straight away and press high, resulting in a scramble in the Werder box. The Green-White defence deal with it and clear the danger.
64’ It’s another goal for PIZA! Junuzovic turns Wendell in the box and gets tripped. Pizarro steps up sends the keeper the wrong way, putting it to Leno’s right! Incredibly, we’re 3-0 up!
69’ Oh no! Djilobodji sticks it in his own net! The cross comes in and he tries to head it back to Wiedwald but it was the wrong ball and it trickles slowly into the net! 3-1…
83’ YEEEEESS! It’s a Claudio Pizarro hat-trick! Juno swings in the corner and Pizarro gets there first to turn it into the net! Scenes! 4-1!
90+3’ Full time!
Conclusion: Werder looked stable and well in the game after the opening goal and were by far the better team, with the better chances in the second half. Coming out of the dressing room raring to go proved to be the deciding factor as ten minutes into the second half, Pizarro doubled the lead. The defence held strong thereafter and, despite the own goal, allowed Leverkusen very little. The victory was made sweeter with a hat-trick from the club’s oldest striker and another night in Leverkusen ended in a glorious Werder victory.
