He had had a fantastic international debut in Leipzig, and now he led RB Leipzig to victory in the Bundesliga: Assan Ouedraogo was the outstanding man on the pitch in the 2-0 (0-0) win against Werder Bremen. His great long-range shot in the 64th minute and a goal from Xaver Schlager (80th) ensured a return to second place on Sunday and a perfect reunion for their coach with his former club.
Ole Werner was successful in Bremen for over three and a half years before moving to Leipzig this summer. The coach led the Werder team from the 2nd league back to the upper house and into a very secure position there, but he wanted more – and is well on the way to achieving that with his new employer. RB occupies second place in the Bundesliga and is therefore nominally the pursuer of FC Bayern Munich, which, however, looks untouchable not only because of its six point lead.
“I had a great time at Werder, it was a nice reunion and I’m very happy that it was successful. We should have scored in the first half, but defensively it was our best defensive performance this season.”said Werner in the Sportschau interview.
Despite the previous setback at TSG Hoffenheim (1:3), Leipzig went into the game against Werner’s former club as one of the hottest teams in the league and had previously scored 22 out of 24 possible points. But Bremen also showed that they have now become a strong team under Horst Steffen, the trend was very positive with eleven points from the last five games and the initial phase was also strong, a fast-paced game developed at eye level.
Backhaus saves Werder in the first half
However, things changed after 15 minutes, Leipzig took control and dominated the game. It still took until the first big chance, which Ridle Baku miserably missed from six meters (26th).
Ouedraogo made significantly more from a long-range shot from 22 meters, which Mio Backhaus was able to claw very well from the corner (32′). In an almost identical move, Ouedraogo’s low attempt whizzed just past the post (38th), his third attempt – this time in the penalty area – was blocked (38th). Afterwards, Christoph Baumgartner didn’t realize how much space he had and shot too timidly in front of Backhaus (39′).
Bremen’s Mio Backhaus (r.) parries the shot from Leipzig’s Christoph Baumgartner
Werder’s goalkeeper was his team’s best man in the first half and had a really big move shortly before the final whistle. A deflected shot from Baumgartner turned into a dangerous arc, but Backhaus flew across his six-yard box and deflected the ball out of bounds with his hand (45th+2). It was thanks to him that the game went into the locker room goalless.
Outstanding defensive actions from Leipzig’s Diomande and Bremen’s Grüll
Werder came back strongly, Romano Schmid tested Peter Gulacsi with a strong long-range shot, who directed the ball over the crossbar (48th). The Hungarian keeper then had to respond to a volley from Cameron Puertas (51′), while those in front of him briefly looked as if they had lost track.
But Leipzig got back into the game and almost rewarded themselves for their effort. Ouedraogo prepared excellently and Baumgartner even poked the ball past Backhaus, but behind him Marco Grüll cleared the ball very well on the line (59th). Seconds earlier there had also been a great defensive action on the other side when Leipzig winger Yan Diomande caught up with Jens Stage, who was running freely towards the RB goal, and slipped the ball off his foot.
Dream goal from Ouedraogo, Schlager puts the lid on it for Leipzig
But Ouedraogo remained the best offensive player – and he made the Leipzig stadium happy again after his first goal as a German national player against Slovakia (6-0). Practically from a standing start, the exceptional talent nailed the ball into the corner with his left foot from 21 meters, this time Backhaus flew in vain – the deserved 1-0 (64th).
“A perfect week for me, it couldn’t be better. Won twice, scored twice – great week”said Ouedraogo afterwards in the Sportschau interview. “It wasn’t easy, Bremen defended very disciplinedly. I had a few chances in the first half, unfortunately none of them went in, but we forced it well. That was very good.”
Schmid could have equalized the 0-1 after a mistake by Willi Orban, but his shot from close range was too central and Gulacsi was there again (70th). After the following corner, Keke Topp scored, but the striker was just offside (71′). A little later there was a goal from a corner kick, but on the other side. Schlager got to the ball after a header from Baumgartner and converted from close range to make it 2-0 (80th).
RB Leipzig celebrates the 2-0 win against Werder Bremen.
Leipzig is facing a top form duel, Bremen against Cologne
The game was decided, especially since Leipzig controlled it even after this goal and was closer to the third goal than Bremen was to the first. The Werner team confirmed that the defeat in Sinsheim only briefly interrupted the run and did not end it. Next Friday, RB will face another team that is currently getting off to a flying start, away at Borussia Mönchengladbach (8:30 p.m.), and will want to maintain their position behind Bayern.
Werder, on the other hand, is aiming for its fourth home win in a row against 1. FC Köln on Saturday (3:30 p.m.). The last time the two teams met, Bremen, with Werner as coach, won 1-0 in the cathedral city. Now there should be compensation against this opponent for the messed up reunion with the ex-coach.