Werder Bremen come from behind to thrash 10-man Union Berlin
Werder Bremen climbed out of the relegation zone after coming from a goal down to beat 10-man Union Berlin.
Union Berlin 1-4 Werder Bremen
Goals: 1-0 Köhn 18’ (pen.), 1-1 Deman 31‘, 1-2 Stage (assist: Puertas), 1-3 Grüll 67’ (assist: Schmid), 1-4 Čović 90’+4 (assist: Bittencourt)
Red card: Schäfer 19‘
Bremen, who had ended a 13-game winless run with a 2-0 triumph over Heidenheim last weekend, found themselves up against it early on after after Niklas Stark was penalised for bringing down Ilyas Ansah inside the box. Former Werder man Derrick Köhn stepped up and confidently dispatched the spot-kick past Mio Backhaus to give the hosts the lead.
However, Union's advantage was short-lived as just a minute later, András Schäfer was shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Jens Stage. The dismissal completely changed the complexion of the match, allowing Bremen to seize control.
With their numerical advantage, Bremen began to dominate possession and created several chances. The equaliser arrived in the 31st minute through Olivier Deman, who curled a stunning shot into the top corner from the edge of the box after a headed clearance fell perfectly for him.
Just four minutes later, Bremen completed the turnaround when Cameron Puertas delivered a precise corner that Stage rose highest to head home, giving the visitors a 2-1 lead at half-time thanks to their first goal directly from a corner of the campaign.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Bremen controlling proceedings while Union struggled to create opportunities with ten men.
Steffen Baumgart introduced Wooyeong Jeong for Aljoscha Kemlein in the 63rd minute as the hosts sought a way back into the match, but it was Bremen who struck again three minutes later.
Romano Schmid displayed excellent awareness to square the ball for Marco Grüll, who tapped into an empty net to make it 3-1 and effectively end the contest.
Union's Leopold Querfeld was then booked for a foul on Grüll as frustrations mounted for the home side - his fifth of the campaign - meaning he will miss Union's trip to Freiburg next week.
Both coaches made multiple substitutions as the match entered its final stages, with Bremen introducing Patrice Čović for Schmid in the 90th minute.
The change paid immediate dividends as Čović scored with his very first touch, converting Leonardo Bittencourt's assist in the fourth minute of stoppage time to complete the rout. The 18-year-old's stoppage-time finish was his maiden goal in the Bundesliga.
The 4-1 victory represents a significant boost to Bremen's survival hopes, while mid-table Union are left to reflect on how Schäfer's dismissal derailed what had been a promising start.
Man of the Match: Jens Stage
Stage delivered a masterclass in midfield, justifying his selection as the standout performer with an influential display from box to box.
Beyond his crucial goal that put Bremen in front, the Danish midfielder was instrumental in turning the tide after Union's early lead.
Stage completed an impressive 86% of his passes, created three chances, and was involved in 19 pressure situations – more than any other player on the pitch.
His connection with Puertas and Schmid in midfield provided Bremen with the platform to dominate possession (68%) and ultimately secure a comfortable victory despite initially falling behind.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Union Berlin 1.32 - Werder Bremen 2.09
Fastest player: Romano Schmid (Bremen), 32.67 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-1 by Olivier Deman (Bremen), 3.4 percent
Most pressed player: Jens Stage (Bremen), 19 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Leonardo Bittencourt (Bremen), +5.9
Fantasy Heroes: Jens Stage (Werder Bremen, 354 Points), Olivier Deman (Werder Bremen, 332 Points), Cameron Puertas (Werder Bremen, 259 Points)
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