Big points for Leipzig sink into the Weser
RB Leipzig sniffed victory for a long time in the Bundesliga away match at Werder Bremen, but the hosts equalized thanks to a furious final spurt. The Saxons drop important points in the title race. Emil Forsberg plays for the last time in the German top flight.
Plenty of attacking power to earn a valuable Christmas point: Werder Bremen put the brakes on RB Leipzig's serial offenders to end the year on a rude note and take fresh optimism into the winter break. Coach Ole Werner's team fought their way to a 1:1 (0:0) draw at the start of the 16th matchday of the Bundesliga and, after three games in a row in which they have picked up points, can look forward with confidence to the nerve-wracking second part of the relegation battle.
Justin Njinmah (75') equalized for Werder with a long-range shot after Lois Openda (47') had given the visitors the lead. Leipzig, for whom captain Emil Forsberg played his last game, ran out of steam a little in their final match of 2023. Coach Marco Rose's team missed out on a fourth successive league win and could lose further ground on top teams Bayer Leverkusen and FC Bayern, who were not called upon until Wednesday.
Werder wanted to add to their tally and score again, while RB kept up the pressure on their rivals - both teams played a match of equals in the first half. The hosts continued to defy the favorites after the break, but lacked the necessary efficiency in attack for a long time. Bremen, who were plagued by personnel problems, opted for an offensive approach. Werner had been forced to make changes to his back three in front of goalkeeper Michael Zetterer compared to the 2-2 draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach, but he also added dynamism to his team with Felix Agu and Njinmah.
Werder's perseverance is rewarded
For Leipzig, the name Forsberg stood out. After nine years at the club, the Swede played his very last game for RB and was only too keen to experience one last moment of happiness in a Leipzig shirt before leaving for New York. And he could almost have celebrated early. Castello Lukeba struck the post with a shot from the edge of the box in the very first minute of the game. After a somewhat calmer phase, things then got heated. Leipzig's Xavi Simons (20th, 23rd) lacked a bit of determination.
Then Werder suddenly turned on the heat. A header from Rafael Borre was just defused by Lukeba (32'). The home side kept the pressure on and should have scored three minutes later at the latest - but Jens Stage shot over from a free position (35'). Then RB striker Yussuf Poulsen was celebrating - but after VAR intervention it was ruled offside (41'). The second half also got off to an entertaining start. After Leipzig took the lead, Werder responded promptly and had further opportunities through Borre and a crossbar shot from international Marvin Ducksch (55', 56'). The Whites persevered and were rewarded.
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Despite facing a strong attacking force from RB Leipzig, Werder Bremen managed to hold their ground in the Bundesliga match, ultimately securing a valuable draw at home. With Emil Forsberg playing his final game for Leipzig, the visitors missed out on a chance to extend their winning streak and maintain their position in the title race.
This result leaves Werder Bremen with renewed hope heading into the winter break, as they have now secured points in their last three matches, aiming to navigate the tough second half of the relegation battle with confidence.
Source: www.ntv.de
