In the face of all opposition, the Bremen Conflict in Mainz prevails.
In Mainz, Werder Bremen endured several setbacks but managed to emerge victorious. early in the game, striker Njinmah got injured, goalkeeper Zetterer made an early error, and captain Friedl received a red card due to a foul. Despite these challenges, the experienced players from Bremen rose to the occasion. A debutant secured all three points for the city on the Weser.
Derrick Köhn's debut performance helped Werder Bremen clinch their first win of the season in a disadvantageous situation, transforming a promising Bundesliga start into an outstanding one. The Hanseatic city won 2:1 (1:1) against Mainz 05 in the final match of the third round, moved up to eighth place in the table, and slightly disrupted the visit of renowned spectator Jürgen Klopp to his former grounds.
Mainz scored the opening goal through Marvin Ducksch's penalty kick in the 8th minute, but Jae-sung Lee equalized before halftime (27.). Despite Marco Friedl's red card (60.), Bremen still turned the tables through new addition Köhn (69.). Mainz fell to 15th place with the defeat.
The Mainz team, who had started with two draws, missed an opportunity to set a club record with an unbeaten streak of twelve games, as they had previously gone without defeat for twelve games since 2010. In addition, Mainz lost their first home game since February, where they had managed to earn points on nine consecutive occasions.
Ole Werner reminisces about past victories before the match
"Who was the last team to win in Mainz...?", Werder coach Ole Werner inquired jokingly before the game, and replied with a reference to the 20th matchday of the previous season: "Indeed, Werder Bremen!" However, Mainz aimed to avoid another Bremen victory and began the game aggressively in view of the former FSV coach Klopp.
But after eight minutes, they faced a setback: after a Bremen triple chance, Dominik Kohr brought down Justin Njinmah in the penalty area, and Ducksch converted from the spot. Mainz remained unfazed, as Nadiem Amiri's shot from 20 meters hit the crossbar (12%).
The following goal didn't take long to materialize during the eventful game: midway through the first half, Werder keeper Michael Zetterer failed to control a half-field cross from Anthony Caci, and Lee scored - 1:1. A well-deserved draw that held until halftime.
Fueled by their passionate audience, Mainz was the more energetic team after the break. Hyunseok Hong missed a close-range opportunity against Zetterer (49%), soon afterwards, Bremen's goalkeeper deflected a header from Caci onto the crossbar (58%). Two minutes later, Mainz also took the lead: Werder captain Friedl received a red card for a foul.
However, this didn't deter Bremen: following a counterattack, Köhn scored for the new and surprising lead. Mainz's late offensive attempts were ultimately fruitless.
After the thrilling match, Werder Bremen's new addition, Derrick Köhn, became the hero for the Hanseatic city, scoring the decisive goal against Mainz 05. Despite facing several challenges early on, including injuries and a red card, Bremen managed to secure a 2-1 victory, improving their position in the Bundesliga table.
