A deserved point to end the year

Match report of the 1-1 draw against RB Leipzig

Show Matchcenter

Werder gave their all for the full 90 minutes against RB Leipzig (Photo: WERDER.DE).

Match Report

Tuesday, 19.12.2023 / 20:33

What a great end to 2023! In the last game in Bremen of the year, SVW's end-to-end affair with RB Leipzig on Tuesday evening saw both teams take home a hard-fought point after the game ended 1-1. Although the visitors took charge of the first half an hour and opened the scoring just after the break, the Green-Whites showed grit and determination to make a much-deserved comeback. SVW created numerous big chances in the first 45 minutes, and were able to breathe a sigh of relief when Leipzig’s opener was ruled offside by VAR one minute after half-time. Loïs Openda put RBL ahead in the 47th minute, but Njinmah responded with an ice-cold curler to give the Green-Whites their long-awaited equaliser (75’).

Line-up and formation: Head coach Ole Werner made four chances to his starting XI for the last home game of 2023. Captain Marco Friedl reassumed his usual spot in centre-back after a brief injury spell, alongside Christian Groß, both swapping in for injured defenders Milos Veljkovic and Niklas Stark. Felix Agu and youngster Justin Njinmah took the place of Romano Schmid and Olivier Deman out wide.

Starting XI: Zetterer, Jung, Stage, Ducksch, Weiser, Bittencourt, Njinmah, Borré, Agu, Friedl, Groß

Bench: Pavlenka, Deman, Kownacki, Lynen, Schmid, Sato, Woltemade, Löpping, Röcker

Tension and excitement in the first 45

Werder were unable to open the scoring in the first half (Photo: nordphoto).

First-half highlights:

1st minute:Leipzig fly out the blocks and create immediate danger from a set piece. The ball lands with Castello Lukeba, whose effort is denied by the woodwork.

19th minute:The crowd roars as Rafael Borré crosses the ball into the box, which finds Ducksch, but he’s dispossessed by Kampl.

21st minute: Jung takes too long on the ball and doesn’t spot Xavi creeping up behind him. The RBL midfielder seizes possession and advances into the box, but he fires just wide of the left post.

23rd minute: Xavi and Haidara combine and get a shot away, which Zetterer briefly spills, but he’s able to pick it up again quickly.

33rd minute: So close! Weiser plays a cross into Borré, who nods it towards the Leipzig net, but Lukeba comes to the visitors’ rescue at the last minute and clears the ball off the line.

34th minute: The Green-Whites are applying pressure now, and a lot of it. A cross from the right-hand side makes its way to an unmarked Stage, but he's unable to able to keep his volley down.

41st minute: Openda hits the post with a strong effort from outside the 16-yard box, where Poulsen is waiting to bury it. However, the goal is ruled offside after a VAR intervention.

Justin the nick of time

Justin Njinmah saved the day for the Green-Whites with his equaliser (Photo: WERDER.DE).

Second-half highlights:

47th minute: The visitors take the lead. Just after the break, a long ball finds Loïs Openda, who beats Groß in a 1-v-1 and moves in on the Green-Whites’ goal. Zetterer is able to deny him twice, but the RBL striker hits home at the third time of asking.

55th minute: Borré embarks on a solo run down the left wing and is able to pull the trigger, but Blaswich pushes the ball away down the side of the Leipzig net.

59th minute: Openda drives at the Green-White defence and lets fly, but his effort falls directly with Zetterer.

75th minute: GOALLL for SVW! Ducksch finds Njinmah from the edge of the box, who cuts onto his left foot and curls it into the bottom left corner. Werder are back in the game!

85th minute: The game is going end to end, with both teams creating chances and looking to fire another home their second. Neither are willing to give up on their ambition of three points.

90th minute +6: Full-time at the wohninvest WESERSTADION!

Summary: What a way to end the year. SV Werder put in a stellar performance and deservedly took a point away from the last game of 2023 against RB Leipzig. Although the visitors took the lead just minutes after the break, the Green-Whites stood their ground and threw everything at it, which in the end was rewarded with Njinmah’s equaliser.