Felix Agu scores one and sets up another as Werder Bremen leave it late to beat Augsburg
Theodor Gebre Selassie and Felix Agu struck late as Werder Bremen edged away from the relegation zone with a 2-0 win over Augsburg.
Bremen 2-0 Augsburg
Goals: 1-0 Gebre Selassie (84'), 2-0 Agu (87')
Reece Oxford started in a back three for Augsburg and the English defender soon made his presence felt to Ömer Toprak as he tried to turn in a loose ball from a corner, but only got a kick to his ankle in the process. The first shot of the game came at the other end, where Andre Hahn sent an effort just wide of the far post from the edge of the penalty area. Bremen had to wait over half an hour before their first effort on goal, and the first of the game on target with Gebre Selassie heading straight at Rafal Gikiewicz. There was to be no further threat at either end as the first half concluded with the deadlock still intact.
Only 15 seconds were needed for the first shot of the second half, although Maximilian Eggestein's weak effort from long range was of no concern to Gikiewicz. Augsburg had to wait only a few minutes longer before registering their first shot of the second half with Daniel Caligiuri's header turned past the post by Jiri Pavlenka. Oxford should have done better with a header from point-blank range which hit his shoulder and went over, but Josh Sargent did all he could on the turn at the other end, drawing a fine save out of Gikiewicz to keep the scores level. When it looked increasingly unlikely a goal would come from any outlet, Gebre Selassie stretched out a leg to meet Agu's cross and volley Werder in front. Agu then went from provider to scorer, sealing the points late on from Romano Schmid's cross.
Match stats
- This was only Bremen's third home win in 22 home matches since beating Augsburg 3-2 on Matchday 3 of last season.
- Bremen already have more points this season (18) than they managed in the entire first half of the campaign in 2019/20 (14).
- Agu made his first appearance in the Bremen starting XI, after three previous substitute appearances in the Bundesliga and one in the DFB Cup.
- This fixture has never ended goalless in 19 meetings between these two sides.
- Augsburg are the only team in the Bundesliga this season yet to have scored in the first 30 minutes of a match.
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Line-ups
Bremen: Pavlenka - Veljkovic, Toprak, Friedl - Gebre Selassie (c), Eggestein, Mbom, Möhwald (Rashica 89'), Agu - Sargent (Gruev 90'+2), Selke (Schmid 72')
Unused subs: Kapino, Osako, Bittencourt, Moisander, Chong, Dinkci
Out: Augustinsson (thigh), Erras (muscular), Füllkrug (ankle), Groß (muscular), Woltemade (ill)
Coach: Florian Kohfeldt
Augsburg: Gikiewicz - Oxford (Gregoritsch 87'), Gouweleeuw (c), Uduokhai - Caligiuri (Gumny 58'), Gruezo, Khedira (Civeja 87'), Pedersen - Hahn, Finnbogason (Niederlechner 58'), Vargas (Sarenren Bazee 74')
Unused subs: Koubek, Götze, Suchy, Strobl
Out: Framberger (hamstring), Gumny (injured in warm-up), Iago (neck), Jensen (ankle), Moravek (thigh), Richter (suspended)
Coach: Heiko Herrlich
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