Werder Bremen have emerged victorious in their Telekom Cup semi-final against hosts Borussia Mönchengladbach. Both teams had a good chances to score, but ultimately it went down to penalties after a goalless 45 minute game. Pavlenka was the hero of the game, saving Cuisance’s penalty after having a great game in regulation time. Max Kruse then scored the decisive penalty to punch Werder’s ticket into the semi-final.
Line-up and formation: Manager Alexander Nouri stuck to his 3-5-2 formation, like he deployed against the Wolverhampton Wanderers. Verlaat, Bauer, and Caldirola formed the back three, whilst Augustinsson and Gebre Selassie were fielded on the flanks. Maximilian Eggestein played just behind Jerome Gondorf and Thomas Delaney in central midfield, and Kruse and Bartels once more featured alongside one another up top.
18th minute: Hofmann swivels in the penalty box but fires wide from eight metres out.
24th minute: Big chane for Kruse! Augustinsson lets Werder’s number ten loose, but he can’t make the most of the chance, missing the target.
25th minute: Almost immediately thereafter, Pavlenka does great to keep the score level. Cuisance shoots but SVW’s number one parries. The linesman raises his flag to indicate Hofmann is offside for the follow-up shot.
35th minute: Unbelievable from Pavlenka! Hofmann is denied by an incredible save from Werder’s new goalkeeper.
45th minute: Goalless at full time: it’s going to penalties.
Penalty shootout: Both sides’ players showed a lot of composure and very little nerves from the spot. Gondorf, Caldirola, Eggestein, and Delaney converted their efforts, whilst Strobl, Hoffmann, and Raffael’s successful penalties meant that the score was 4-3 to Werder when Gladbach’s Cuisance stepped up to the spot. Pavlenka guessed correctly to deny the young Frenchman, leaving Max Kruse to slot home the winning penalty that put Werder into the Telekom Cup final!
Mönchengladbach: Nicolas - Oxford, Strobl, Kramer, Zakaria, Raffael, Wendt, Hofmann, Jantschke, Cuisance, Grifo
Werder Bremen: Pavlenka - Bauer, Verlaat, Caldirola - Gebre Selassie, Delaney, Gondorf, M. Eggestein, Augustinsson - Kruse, Bartels
Goals (all penalties): 1-0 Gondorf, 1-1 Strobl, 2-1 Caldirola, 2-2 Hofmann, 3-2 M. Eggestein, 3-3 Raffael, 4-3 Delaney, 5-3 Kruse
Referee: Guido Winkmann
