Matchday 16 - Werder annoy Leipzig and snatch a point from RB
SV Werder Bremen upset RB Leipzig before the winter break and put an end to the cup winners' winning streak. In a varied game, the hosts fought their way to a 1:1 (0:0) draw at the start of matchday 16.
After four consecutive wins in competitive matches, the Saxons failed to at least temporarily draw level with second-placed FC Bayern on points in the Bundesliga table. Lois Openda (47') had put the visitors ahead, Justin Njinmah (75') scored the deserved equalizer. Neither team could be really satisfied, but neither could be really unhappy. Werder climbed past VfL Bochum to 13th place at the start of matchday 16.
Initially, there was not much to see of Bremen's rather offensive choice of personnel. Leipzig, led by Emil Forsberg as captain in his last game for RB, initially dictated what happened on the pitch and especially in front of the hosts' goal. Less than 50 seconds had elapsed when Castello Lukeba, who had moved up, got at the feet of Anthony Jung's attempted clearance. The RB man-marker took the shot and the ball smacked against the post.
A minute's silence before kick-off
The stands in the Weser Stadium took a deep breath as it fell silent before the final Bundesliga kick-off of the year. The Werder fans remembered the Israeli Inbar Haiman, who died after being kidnapped and held captive by Hamas. Haiman was a supporter of Maccabi Haifa, a club with which the Werder Bremen Ultras have a fan friendship.
The Bremen fans were treated to an opening phase against Leipzig in which coach Ole Werner's team only managed to relieve the pressure at certain points. The cup winners from Saxony controlled the game too much. A long-range shot from Leipzig-born Leonardo Bittencourt missed the visitors' goal after just over 20 minutes. At the other end, Michael Zetterer was able to clear a shot from Xavi Simons a little later on.
RB vulnerable at the back
The fact that Leipzig are always susceptible in defense, despite recent results and good performances, is not only proven by the last ten games up to the Bremen match, in which the team conceded at least one goal. It was also evident on the pitch at the Weser Stadium.
After just over half an hour, however, Bremen missed several chances - the best coming from Felix Agu (32'), whose attempt was cleared off the line by Lukeba, and Jens Stage, whose volley went over the goal (35'). It was the phase in which RB wavered, but then suddenly celebrated. A header from Yussuf Poulsen after a rebound off the post landed in the net. However, the Dane was slightly offside when Amadou Haidara shot. The score remained 0-0 at the break.
But not long after the break. After Forsberg had scored and set up a goal in the 3-1 win against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday, the future Red Bull New York professional set up Openda's goal with a fine pass. However, it took the Belgian more than one attempt before the ball was in the net, even though Bremen looked anything but confident in the scene - especially not Christian Groß.
Openda's missed chance takes its revenge
However, they were determined not to continue their poor run of six defeats against Leipzig and stepped up the pressure again. A shot from international Marvin Ducksch grazed the crossbar (55').
A few minutes later, Forsberg's era finally came to an end after nine years when he left the pitch after a good hour. Coach Marco Rose was the first to hug the Swede on the sidelines, while the fans chanted Forsberg's name. His teammates now had to make sure that he would say goodbye with a win. Openda missed the opportunity to calm his nerves a little later on. And that paid off when Njinmah took the measure.
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- Despite the winter break, German soccer team RB Leipzig's winning streak was halted by SV Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga, leaving them fourth in the table.
- Emil Forsberg, the Swedish captain of RB Leipzig, played his final game for the club before joining MLS side Red Bull New York, but couldn't secure a victory for his team.
- Forsberg assisted Lois Openda's goal in the first half at the Weserstadion, where Bremen was determined to end their six-game losing streak against Leipzig.
- Anthony Jung and Leonardo Bittencourt both had chances to score for Leipzig, but Werder Bremen's defense held strong, ensuring the game remained scoreless up until half-time.
- The hosts in Saxony, VfL Bochum, dropped to 14th place in the Bundesliga after Werder Bremen's draw, having previously been in 13th position.
- Amidst the soccer action, a minute's silence was observed before the kick-off as a tribute to Israeli supporter Inbar Haiman, who had been kidnapped and killed by Hamas.
- The Bundesliga match between Werder Bremen and RB Leipzig was a fiercely contested affair, demonstrating the intense competition within Germany's highest soccer league.
- Bremen's Marvin Ducksch came close to breaking the deadlock with a shot that hit the crossbar, but luck was not on their side and the game ended in a 1:1 draw.
- FC Bayern Munich maintained their position at the top of the Bundesliga table, extending their winning streak and making it even more difficult for Leipzig and Werder Bremen to climb further up the rankings.
Source: www.stern.de
