VfB Stuttgart
| 1-1 | Traoré | (50. Min) |
SV Werder Bremen
| 0-1 | Ekici | (34. Min) |
| 1-2 | Hunt | (61. Min) |
| 1-3 | Ekici | (74. Min) |
| 1-4 | De Bruyne | (90.+2. Min) |
Ibrahima Traoré
Stats 
The next setback
VfB Began well against Werder Bremen but in the end there was to be no joy as the home side slipped to a 1-4 (0-1) home defeat, in spite of Ibrahima Traoré levelling the scores shortly after the break.
Trainer Bruno Labbadia made four changes to the side which began last weekend, with Georg Niedermeier (recovered from injury), Arthur Boka (back from African Cup of Nations), Martin Harnik (returning from suspension) and Ibrahima Traoré back in the team.
The home side started brightly, putting pressure on the Bremen goal with both Gotoku Sakai (2’) and Ibrahima Traoré (4’) going close early on. As the half progressed, the visitors began to create openings of their own and in the 24th minute, Kevin de Bruyne slammed a shot off the post. Just minutes later Vedad Ibisevic cleared a Lukimya effort off the line (29’). Two minutes further on, Eljero Elia fired into the side netting (31’) before Zlatko Junuzovic brought a strong stop from Sven Ulreich (33’).
VfB head-coach Bruno Labbadia: "We had big plans for this one and that’s exactly how we went about it."
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Werder take the lead
VfB had lost control of the tie and in the 34th minute, they also found themselves a goal down. De Bruyne fired in a cross from the right and Mehmet Ekici got the sole of his boot to the ball and directed it home to put Werder 1-0 up. With Bremen keeper Sebastian Mielitz saving from Martin Harnik shortly before half time, the guests took their advantage into the break.
VfB started the second period as energetically as they had the first and the bulk of the 41,200 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena were soon on their feet and celebrating when Ibrahima Traoré volleyed home in the 50th minute to put the hosts back on level terms.
Renewed setback
Bruno Labbadia’s side were back in the game but managed to punish themselves just on the hour mark. A poorly played pass in midfield was collected by Aaron Hunt, who bore down on Sven Ulreich and slotted home to give the visitors a renewed advantage.
The VfB coach brought Daniel Didavi and Federico Macheda in place of William Kvist and Martin Harnik in an attempt to rejuvenate his side’s attack, but the trainer’s plan didn’t come off and in the 74th minute, Mehmet Ekici fired home a direct free-kick to increase his side’s lead to 3-1.
Vedad Ibisevic had a couple of chances to reduce the deficit (79’ and 80’), but in added time, Kevin de Bruyne converted to make the final score 4-1 for Werder Bremen and leave VfB still in search of their first win in 2013.
