USA international striker Josh Sargent scored within moments of coming off the bench to make his Bundesliga debut, sealing a 3-1 win for Werder Bremen at home to Fortuna Düsseldorf in the Matchday 14 opener.

Werder Bremen 3-1 Fortuna Düsseldorf

Goals: 1-0 Möhwald (20'), 1-1 Lukebakio (pen. 43'), 2-1 Harnik (71'), 3-1 Sargent (78')

Bremen seized the initiative right from the off, but although they dominate possession Florian Kohfeldt's men initially struggled to create chances and were limited to harmless shots from distance. Eventually, though, the hosts converted their superiority into a goal when Max Kruse teed up Kevin Möhwald to arrow in a stunning goal from the edge of the area. Bremen looked comfortable but Düsseldorf levelled the score against the run of play just before half-time when Dodi Lukebakio smashed in from the penalty spot after Video Review adjudged Sebastian Langkamp to have handled a cross into the box.

The visitors adopted a more aggressive approach after the interval and were no longer so overrun in midfield. They had the first chance of the half when substitute Rouwen Hennings was played through, but he fired narrowly wide of Jiri Pavlenka's goal. It would prove to be a costly miss as Martin Harnik restored Bremen's lead in the 71st minute, poking in the rebound after Davy Klaassen's shot was saved. American teenager Sargent made sure of the points – Bremen's first win since Matchday 8 – nodding the ball over the line shortly after coming off the bench for his first ever Bundesliga appearance.

Match stats

Pizarro made just his second start of the season in this match. He has made 10 appearances as a substitute, scoring twice off the bench.Sargent, 18, became the second youngest scorer in the Bundesliga this season. Only Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho is younger.Sargent scored the fastest-ever goal by a Werder Bremen debutant, finding the target 86 seconds after coming off the bench.Lukebakio netted his second Bundesliga spot-kick, having previously converted a penalty against Hoffenheim on Matchday 3.Möhwald scored his maiden Bundesliga goal in his first top-flight start.Milot Rashica made his first league start of 2018/19.Bremen had 68 per cent of possession to Fortuna's 32 per cent.

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Line-ups

Bremen: Pavlenka – Gebre Selassie, Langkamp, Friedl, Augustinsson – M. Eggestein, Möhwald (J. Eggestein 69'), Klaassen – Rashica (Sargent 76'), Kruse (c), Pizarro (Harnik 60')
Unused subs: Plogmann, Beijmo, Kainz, Sahin
Out: Bargfrede (Achilles), Bartels (ankle), Johannsson (ankle), Moisander (suspended), Veljkovic (hamstring)
Coach: Florian Kohfeldt

Fortuna: Rensing – Zimmermann, Bormuth, Kaminski, Gießelmann – Bodzek – Zimmer, Stöger (Raman 87'), Fink (c) (Morales 61'), Usami (Hennings 46') - Lukebakio
Unused subs: Theißen, Ayhan, Ducksch, Karaman
Out: Contento (knee)
Coach: Friedhelm Funkel

Watch: Kohfeldt: "Sargent so good in the box"

As it happened!

Click here for the Bremen vs. Fortuna match centre!