Points shared in Bremen

Match summary:

VfB were caught off guard early on at the Weserstadion and fell behind in the sixth minute when Justin Njinmah headed in the opener. However, Ermedin Demirovic provided the perfect response a short while later to equalise from Maximilian Mittelstädt’s deep cross (20’).

The game developed into a hard-fought affair and Sebastian Hoeneß’s charges were fortunate that Njinmah could only hit the right-hand post in first-half stoppage time, leaving the teams all square at the interval.

Demirovic to the rescue

The second half was also a fiercely contested battle of wills. Josha Vagnoman had the first chance in the 50^th minute but was unable to capitalise, while Mitchell Weiser missed the target from close range moments later (56’).

Jens Stage showed them how it was done in the 77^th minute, restoring Werder’s lead from a corner. VfB refused to give up, however, and were rewarded for their grit in the 85^th minute when Demirovic levelled the scores once again.

Goals:

6^th minute: The hosts take the lead with their first attack. Marvin Ducksch crosses into the middle from the right and Njinmah gets ahead of his marker to head home.

20^th minute: The equaliser! Mittelstädt delivers a cross from the left to the back post, where Demirovic volleys past Michael Zetterer from inside the six-yard box to score his sixth goal of the season.

77^th minute: Following a corner, the ball sits up nicely for Stage, who acrobatically fires the ball in off the underside of the crossbar to put Bremen ahead.

85^th minute: Demirovic outmuscles Senne Lynen to collect a long ball, drives into the box and coolly dinks the ball past Zetterer to make it 2-2.

Special mention:

Demirovic’s brace was his second in the Bundesliga since joining VfB. His first came on Matchday 3 in a 3-1 triumph away to Borussia Mönchengladbach. The forward now has seven league goals this season.