Thanks to a cool and efficient style of play, Werder Bremen scored three points against 1. FSV Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga. Mainz repeatedly failed due to a lack of precision. The North Germans won 4-0 (1-0) on Saturday (September 2nd, 2023).
The Bremen lead was achieved by Marvin Ducksch (3rd minute) with a penalty kick, after the break Jens Stage (53rd) increased it. A late double strike by Leonardo Bittencourt (82nd) and Justin Njinmah (84th) made the first win of the season perfect. In addition, the first game without striker Niclas Füllkrug was Werder’s first home win since February 2023.
“I’m happy for the team”said Bremen’s coach Ole Werner to the sports show, “because she managed to combine a good performance and a good result. Today you saw what is possible when we work well as a team.” “We were defeated on every level – that’s a very humble feeling”said his Mainz colleague Bo Svensson, “That must make us think.”
Bremen were unimpressed by the turbulent final days of the transfer period. As expected, Dawid Kownacki, who came from Fortuna Düsseldorf in the summer, took the place of Füllkrug in the starting lineup because his successor Rafael Borré was not yet in the squad.
The 27-year-old Colombian, who the North Germans borrowed from Eintracht Frankfurt for a year, only arrived on the Weser on Saturday morning. The striker even completed the obligatory medical check-up in Frankfurt on Friday.
Bremen’s Ducksch, the tragic goal scorer
Ducksch wrote a lot of headlines in Bremen’s third game of the season: First, the attacker was fouled by Andreas Hanche-Olsen from Mainz in the second minute – referee Robert Schröder pointed to the point immediately. Then the fouled himself stepped up and safely converted to 1:0.
And only about a quarter of an hour later, Ducksch was the center of attention again: this time, however, it was uncomfortable for him – because his left thigh didn’t work anymore and was responsible for his substitution.
Mainz tries, but remains unlucky
Mainz showed themselves in the middle of the first half: First, Jiri Pavlenka cleared a weak shot by Karim Onisiwo, then the Bremen keeper parried a hard attempt by Jae-sung Lee, who fired from close range on the left.
After the break, Bremen struck again quickly when Stage headed a cross from Weiser over the line. Later, the low sun seemed to hinder Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner several times, which had no consequences with two set pieces.
Bremen then struck again in the final phase: when Mainz did more to get the goal back and moved up, Njinmah served Bittencourt on a counterattack, who slipped the ball into the Mainz goal. Only 100 seconds later, Njinmah scored himself when the strong Romano Schmid served his substitute colleague perfectly in his second Bundesliga game in the penalty area and he tipped the ball past Zentner into the goal.
Mainz at home against TSG, Bremen in Heidenheim
Mainz 05 welcomes the eleven from Hoffenheim on Matchday 4 (Saturday, September 16, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.). Werder meets 1. FC Heidenheim a day later (3:30 p.m.).