Thanks to a dream goal from new national team player Assan Ouédraogo, coach Ole Werner celebrated the victory with RB Leipzig against his former club Werder Bremen. The Saxons won against Werder 2-0 (0-0) and returned to second place in the Bundesliga table. For Bremen It was the first defeat after five consecutive unbeaten matches, leaving Werder still in eighth place.
In front of a sold-out crowd of 47,800 at the Red Bull Arena, Ouédraogo put Leipzig ahead with a superb long-range goal (63rd minute). After a corner kick, Austrian Xaver Schlager made it 2-0 (80).
RB fans protest against “security madness”
RB supporters, who are not exactly in the ultra camp, staged a protest before the interior ministers’ conference starting on 3 December in Bremen, about security at German arenas, with a large banner in the corner reading: “Against your security obsession – the stadium is safe!”. Proponents oppose planned measures such as personalized ticketing and facial recognition.
The Werder curve begs the question: “Should this be the future of football?” When the RB fans started their song after three minutes had passed, there was a whistle from the Bremen block which had been silent for twelve minutes.
Werner had to make several changes as striker Rômulo was unable to play after rupturing a tendon in his right knee. Conrad Harder made his debut as a starter. Additionally, Castello Lukeba returns to the back four for the injured El Chadaille Bitshiabu (muscle injury). Bremen coach Horst Steffen only included Cameron Puertas for Justin Njinmah in the 2-1 win against Wolfsburg.
Backhaus Bremen prevented an early deficit
Leipzig immediately attacked, but was immediately thwarted by Werder’s strong goalkeeper Mio Backhaus, who was there first against Antonia Nusa (5), then by a low shot from Ouédraogo (32) from 20 meters and was able to clear the ball for a corner kick. Youth national player Ouédraogo (38) then narrowly missed a shot from a similar position. Seconds later, Christoph Baumgartner shot from close range straight into Backhaus’ arms, then he clawed at Baumgartner’s deflected shot straight from the corner in stoppage time in the first half.
The Leipzig team previously had an argument with referee Martin Petersen after Baumgartner (26′) was brought down by Karim Coulibaly in a collision in the penalty box. Petersen rejected the penalty whistle. Leipzig pushed Bremen completely into their own territory. Werder did not fire a direct shot at RB’s goal. During a break on streaming service DAZN, sports boss Clemens Fritz struggled with “passing accuracy, especially when we approached the opponent’s defensive area”.
Ouédraogo leads RB
After the substitution, Peter Gulacsi had to stretch for the first time after Puertas’ shot (51′) in the near corner. Suddenly Werder was there. When Jens Stage was sent sharply and ran straight towards RB’s goal, Yan Diomande (59) made a perfect tackle in the penalty area and saved. A few seconds later, Marco Grüll crossed Baumgartner’s ball from the Bremen goal line.
Then Backhaus and Bremen were helpless: Ouédraogo (63′) curled a shot from 20 meters into the corner to take the lead – amidst a period of pressure from Bremen. Gulacsi then saved Romano Schmid’s kick (70). Bremen then celebrated an equaliser, but Keke Topp (71′) was caught offside, as confirmed by VAR. Instead, Schlager made an early decision in the final phase when he scored from close range after a corner.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:251123-930-331073/1
