SV Werder Bremen suffered a 3-0 defeat away to SV Darmstadt. Captain Fabian Holland put the Lilies ahead just before the break with a terrific long-range effort and Luca Pfeiffer scored twice in just six second-half minutes on matchday 10. This is a tough defeat for the Green-Whites who were looking to build on the home victory against Heidenheim. Leonardo Bittencourt made his Werder return shortly before the end following a three-month break due to injury.
Line-up and team news: Head coach Markus Anfang made just one change from Werder’s 3-0 win over 1. FC Heidenheim as Romano Schmid came in for Niklas Schmidt. Leonardo Bittencourt made his return to a matchday squad exactly three months after picking up an injury against Feyenoord, and he was substituted on in the final minutes of the match.
Starting XI: Zetterer – Ducksch, Weiser, Veljkovic, Schmidt, Rapp, Mai, Gruev, Friedl, Mbom und Dinkci.
Bench: Plogmann – Jung, Bittencourt, Füllkrug, Assalé, Nankishi, Schmid, Agu und Straudi.
First-half highlights:
11’: Two early bookings for SVW. Mai is awarded a yellow card after just seven minutes before Friedl gets booked for a foul on Benjamin Goller.
15’: Werder have a free-kick in a promising position. Marvin Ducksch lines up a shot but it sails over the bar in what would turn out to be Werder’s only attempt on goal in the first half.
27’ and 28’: The Lilies have two good chances and are growing more and more into the game and putting more and more pressure on Werder. Ilia Gruev initially clears the Darmstadt cross for a corner, from which Philip Tietz has a free header on goal. However, his header goes straight down the middle and is a comfortable save for Werder keeper Michael Zetterer.
45’: Goal for Darmstadt. SVD captain Fabian Holland scores from around 30 yards out following a headed clearance by Lars Lukas Mai. Michael Zetterer has absolutely no chance as the ball flies into the top corner.
Second-half highlights
59’: Schmiiiiiiiiiiid! Best chance for Werder falls to the half-time substitute. Darmstadt are unable to clear and the ball comes to the Austrian, but his effort is kept out by Marcel Schuhen. Werder have definitely made a better start to this half, though.
65’: Another goal for Darmstadt. Nicolai Rapp plays a poor backpass which falls to Luca Pfeiffer, who simply has to turn around to put himself one-on-one against Michael Zetterer and score SVD’s second. An unfortunate moment for Rapp.
71’: Darmstadt have their third to settle it. Three Werder defenders fall asleep at the back post from an SVD free-kick, but Luca Pfeiffer is very much awake and volleys it home past Zetterer from short range.
74’: Marvin Ducksch has a chance to get one back, but his header is sensationally saved by Schuhen.
84’: Completing a three-month comeback. Leonardo Bittencourt is substituted on for Leonardo Bittencourt. Nice to see you back on the pitch despite the current scoreline, Leo!
90+3’: Full-time.
Summary: Werder were unable to pose any sort of attacking threat in the first half and could do nothing to prevent the opening goal, although this cannot be said for the goals scored by Luca Pfeiffer. Firstly, a poor backpass from Rapp was punished by the Darmstadt player, and then no-one picked up Pfeiffer at the free-kick. Overall, it was a deserved away defeat for SVW.
