31st matchday
Ducksch as an Augsburg fright: planning security for Bremen
Werder takes three points from Augsburg. photo
© Harry Langer/dpa
If Marvin Ducksch is in the starting line-up and scores, Werder will be unbeatable this season. FC Augsburg also has to experience this, suffering a setback in the fight for Europe with a 3-0 defeat.
Three game days before the end of the season, Bremen have a whopping ten points lead over FSV Mainz 05, who could still move away from relegation place 16 on Sunday against second-to-last 1. FC Köln.
Werder is now only two points behind the unstable Augsburg team, who suffered their second defeat in a row and are facing a fantastic remaining program. Borussia Dortmund, VfB Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen all have Champions League or even championship format.
Ducksch’s rule still applies
In the Augsburg Arena, which was sold out with 30,660 spectators, Ducksch provided the template for Romano Schmid’s lead in the 52nd minute. The striker then followed up with a converted penalty (61′), his twelfth goal of the season. He even missed the possible 3-0 in the 72nd minute. Olivier Deman (90th) made up for that.
This means that Ducksch’s rule remains this Bundesliga season: If the 30-year-old is in the starting line-up and scores, Bremen will be unbeaten in 2023/2024. The balance now stands at seven wins and three draws.
Augsburg celebrates for the first time – but in vain
The Augsburg fans had the first scream of the game on their lips. After a corner, Ruben Vargas bumped into Bremen goalkeeper Michael Zetterer in the five-meter area, and Kevin Mbabu’s header then rolled into the goal. However, referee Tobias Welz stopped the illegal action in the ninth minute.
Werder took more and more control. Coach Ole Werner’s team repeatedly played forward quickly and in a straightforward manner. In the final actions, Bremen were just as inaccurate as Augsburg, whose special jerseys were reminiscent of the regional league champions around Helmut Haller from 50 years ago. As usual, Jess Thorup stood stoically on the edge of his coaching area with his arms crossed over his chest and watched closely how his team was struggling.
Now the Bremen fans were able to cheer, at least for a brief moment. Captain Marco Friedl powerfully headed a free kick from Ducksch on the left past Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen into the goal. But the video referee in the Cologne basement also did not recognize the goal because it was offside.
Unlucky Patric Pfeiffer
The Augsburg team had to improve. “Of course there is great hope,” said sports director Marinko Jurendic on the TV channel Sky about the prospects of an international starting place. “If you are on the pitch we are at this point in the championship, then we will do everything we can to end up here at the end of the season.”
However, Werder struck. A free kick from Ducksch from the right flew past the watching Augsburg team through the penalty area, where the lurking Schmid scored at the second post to take the lead. Bremen even increased shortly afterwards. Patric Pfeiffer, who came on for Arne Engels at half-time, clumsily fouled Felix Agu in the penalty area. Dahmen was still able to take Ducksch’s penalty, but his shot was too accurate.