A goal in either half at the Weserstadion left Werder Bremen and Hoffenheim level in their first Bundesliga matches of 2018.

Werder Bremen 1-1 Hoffenheim

Goals: 0-1 Hübner (39’), 1-1 Gebre Selassie (63)

Hoffenheim dominated what was a quiet first half in terms of chances, before breaking the deadlock in the final minutes. A short corner came to Serge Gnabry who crossed into the box, with defender Benjamin Hübner rising highest to send a powerful header past Jiri Pavlenka. and give Julian Nagelsmann’s side a deserved lead at the break.

Werder came out fighting in the second half, however, and brought the game level just after the hour. Junuzovic’s corner was flicked on by substitute Jerome Gondorf, and Theodor Gebre Selassie smashed home from close range. Just one minute later, Hoffenheim should have been ahead again, but Pavlenka produced an outstanding save to thwart Andrej Kramaric. Hoffenheim's Kevin Vogt and Bremen's Gondorf then produced two incredible clearances in a frantic end to the contest.

Gebre Selassie's second half goal earned Werder Bremen a point to start 2018. - © gettyimages / Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Bongarts

Line-ups

Werder Bremen: Pavlenka - Gebre Selassie, Veljkovic, Moisander, Augustinsson - M. Eggestein, Bargfrede, Junuzovic (c) (Bauer 90’) - Kainz (Johannsson 84’), Kruse, Belfodil (Gondorf 57’)
Unuesed Subs: Drobny, Käuper, J. Eggestein, Sane
Absentees: Zetterer (hand), Bartels (Achilles), Delaney (calf)
Coach: Florian Kohfeldt

Hoffenheim: Baumann - Bicakcic, Vogt (c), Hübner, - Kaderabek, Geiger (Polanski 62’), Grillitsch, Zuber - Rupp - Gnabry (Szalai 76’), Uth (Kramaric 57’)
Unuesd Subs: Stolz, Schulz, Zulj, Posch
Absentees: Amiri (foot), Demirbay (muscular problem)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann

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Match stats

Kohfeldt has taken 11 points from eight games since taking charge of Bremen – over twice as many as predecessor Alexander Nouri managed in the first 10 outings of the campaign.Oliver Baumann made his 250th Bundesliga appearance today. Florian Grillitsch and Gnabry swapped Bremen for Hoffenheim in the summer.Hoffenheim’s Nagelsmann (30) and Bremen’s Kohfeldt (35) are the youngest and third-youngest coach in the Bundesliga. Combined, they are still younger than Bayern Munich’s Jupp Heynckes (72).Hoffenheim and Werder had met twice already this season. Hoffenheim won the reverse Bundesliga fixture 1-0, whilst Werder triumphed by the same scoreline in the second round of the DFB Cup.Hoffenheim had won their last two Bundesliga games against Bremen, but had won only one of their 17 meetings prior to that.

Watch: Gnabry vents his frustration at the result

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