Niclas Füllkrug's brace sinks Mainz as Werder Bremen edge a five-goal thriller
Niclas Füllkrug and Werder Bremen kept up their good form to beat Mainz away from home, with the experienced striker's first-half brace helping them secure a 3-2 win at the MEWA Arena.
Mainz 2– 3 Werder Bremen
Goals: 0-1 Füllkrug 7‘ (pen.), 0-2 Füllkrug 25‘ (pen.), 1-2 Caci 33‘ (assist: Becker), 1-3 Reis 61‘ (assist: Grüll), 2-3 Lee 63‘ (assist: Caci)
Mainz went into the Matchday 7 clash with Bremen having won five straight away games but taken only one point from their last six home league matches. Head coach Urs Fischer fielded an unchanged side after the away win at Schalke, while Werder boss Daniel Thioune made one change to the team that fought back against Paderborn, bringing Mitchell Weiser in for Eren Dinkçi.
Füllkrug punishes Mainz twice from the spot
Werder struck early when Arthur drove into the box and saw his effort saved by Alexander Schwolow, with the rebound drawing a foul from Stefan Posch on the Brazilian. Niclas Füllkrug sent Alexander Schwolow the wrong way to make it 1-0 in the seventh minute.
Werder won a second penalty on 24 minutes after Danny da Costa clipped Marco Grüll, and Füllkrug again stayed calm, smashing the spot kick high into the same corner for 2-0. Mainz responded against the run of play when Sheraldo Becker swung in a cross for Anthony Caci, who rose highest to head home in the 33rd minute. Werder held a 2-1 lead at the break.
Reis and Lee trade blows before Werder hold firm
Mainz began the second half on the front foot, but it was Werder who struck next: a deflected effort from Ludovit Reis, following a cross from Arthur that Grüll could not control, wrong-footed Schwolow and rolled in for 3-1 in the 61st minute.
Mainz replied immediately as Caci's fizzed cross was glanced in by Jaesung Lee to make it 3-2 just two minutes later. The hosts pushed hard for a leveller through the closing stages — Nadiem Amiri went close when he skipped past two defenders only to be denied by Karl Hein — but Werder held out to secure the win.
Player of the Match: Niclas Füllkrug
Füllkrug converted both of Werder's penalties, taking his season tally to eight goals in seven matchdays. He also contested the most duels of any player in the match, 15 in total, winning roughly 58 percent of them. Eighty percent of fans voted him their player of the match.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Mainz 1.91 - Werder Bremen 2.88
Fastest player: Arthur (SVW), 34.02 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 3-2 by Jaesung Lee (Mainz), 10 percent
Most pressed player: Mitchell Weiser (Werder Bremen), 12 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Youri Regeer (Werder Bremen), 3.11
Fantasy Heroes: Niclas Füllkrug (Werder Bremen, 124 Points), Arthur (Werder Bremen, 107 Points), Marco Friedl (Werder Bremen, 40 Points)
