bundesliga

Jens Stage steals the show as Werder Bremen triumph in Nordderby against ten-man Hamburg

18.04.2026

Jens Stage's brace and Cameron Puertas's late strike secured a 3-1 victory for Werder Bremen over rivals Hamburg, who had Philip Otele sent off in a fiery Nordderby at the Weserstadion.

Werder Bremen 3-1 HamburgGoals: 1-0 Stage 37’ (assist: Sugawara), 1-1 Glatzel 41’ (assist: Capaldo), 2-1 Stage 57’ (assist: Puertas), 3-1 Puertas 90’ +1’ (assist: Schmid)

The 110th Nordderby between these traditional rivals proved to be one of the more memorable in recent years, with Bremen securing a crucial victory to distance themselves from relegation trouble. The hosts came into the match having lost three of their last four games, with captain Marco Friedl absent through suspension following his red card against Cologne. Hamburg, meanwhile, arrived in Bremen with a comfortable six-point cushion above the relegation play-off place, aiming to continue their steady progress under Merlin Polzin, who faced his former mentor Daniel Thioune in the opposing dugout.

Daniel Thioune and Merlin Polzin had worked together at Osnabrück in the third division. - osnapix / Titgemeyer

Eventful first half ends all square

The opening exchanges saw Bremen enjoy more possession without creating clear chances, while Hamburg had an early opportunity when Robert Glatzel nodded wide from six metres. The visitors thought they'd taken the lead in the 14th minute when Glatzel tucked home Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer's cross, but the flag was immediately raised for offside.

After a relatively quiet period, the match burst into life in the 37th minute when Yukinari Sugawara delivered a superb cross from the right, finding Stage completely unmarked to power a header past Daniel Heuer Fernandes.

Hamburg's response was swift and spectacular – just four minutes later, Nicolas Capaldo launched a long ball forward that Glatzel did well to latch onto before rifling an unstoppable strike into the top corner from a tight angle.

Glatzel fired home a thunderbolt to make the scores 1-1 at the break. - IMAGO/Heiko Blatterspiel

Stage puts Bremen back in front

The second half began with Hamburg showing greater intent. Capaldo fired narrowly wide within minutes of the restart, and then William Mikelbrencis could only head straight at Mio Backhaus from a good position.

However, Stage added his second in the 57th minute when he collected a pass from Cameron Puertas on the edge of the box and unleashed a perfect shot that flew into the top corner. It was a stunning strike that restored Bremen's advantage and swung momentum firmly in their favour.

Stage grabbed his second of the day with a delightful curling effort just before the hour mark. - Stuart Franklin

Red card ends Hamburg hopes

The key turning point happened in the 79th minute when Philip Otele, who had only been on the pitch for 13 minutes, caught Puertas high with his studs in a challenge for the ball. Initially, play continued, but after VAR intervention, the referee reviewed the incident on the monitor and showed the Hamburg substitute a straight red card.

With the numerical advantage, Bremen took control and sealed victory in the first minute of added time when Puertas collected Romano Schmid's backheel before firing home from the edge of the box. The goal sparked confrontations between the benches, resulting in red cards for Bremen's assistant Jan Hoepner and Hamburg's assistant Loïc Favé, but nothing could dampen the home celebrations as the final whistle confirmed a vital three points in Bremen's fight against relegation.

Otele caught Puertas late and was shown a straight red card. - IMAGO/DeFodi.de

Man of the Match: Jens Stage

On his return to the side after missing two fixtures, Stage delivered a match-winning performance that fully deserved the 52% of votes he received as Man of the Match. His first goal demonstrated perfect timing and heading technique as he powered Sugawara's cross past Heuer Fernandes.

The second was even more impressive – a stunning strike from outside the box that gave the goalkeeper no chance.

Beyond his goals, Stage was a commanding presence in midfield until his substitution in the 67th minute, winning crucial battles and helping Bremen establish control in central areas. With his double making the difference in this fiercely contested derby, the Dane reminded everyone of his importance to Daniel Thioune's team.

Stage put in a Man of the Match performance on his return from injury to help Bremen to a very important victory. - IMAGO/osnapix / Marcus Hirnschal

Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Bremen 1.62 - Hamburg 0.88
Fastest player: Justin Njinmah (Bremen), 34.75 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 2-1 by Jens Stage (Bremen), 3.57 per cent
Most pressed player: Romano Schmid (Bremen), 31 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Romano Schmid (Bremen), +3.83

Fantasy Heroes: Cameron Puertas (Bremen, 425 Points), Romano Schmid (Bremen, 364 Points), Jens Stage (Bremen, 332 Points)