33rd matchday
1:1 in Leipzig: Sesko dampens Bremen’s Euro dreams
Werder Bremen and Nick Woltemade fought for a point in Leipzig. photo
© Hendrik Schmidt/dpa
Werder Bremen is close to their first win in Leipzig. Then Benjamin Sesko scores – and puts a damper on the North Germans’ European Cup hopes.
While Leipzig, who have now been unbeaten for ten games, remain fourth, Werder missed the jump to eighth place on matchday 33 of the Bundesliga and is eleventh. However, only three points are missing from seventh place.
In front of 47,069 fans, the many failures at Leipzig were noticeable, as they were unable to put high pressure on their opponents from the start as usual. To make matters worse, the cup winners also gave Bremen the lead with an own goal from Nicolas Seiwald, who had recently joined the starting line-up (35th minute). Joker Benjamin Sesko (61st) achieved the deserved equalizer.
Leipzig’s coach Marco Rose admitted in the run-up to the game that there was a certain drop in tension in the team, which had already achieved the goal of qualifying for the Champions League. In addition, five regular players had to pass against Werder. Xavi Simons sat out with a yellow-red suspension, Dani Olmo was slowed down by a calf strain, and Xaver Schlager won’t return until the fall due to a torn cruciate ligament. In addition, the in-form Sesko and David Raum were injured on the bench.
Leipzig’s three-man storm falters
Rose switched his system to a three-man chain and also had three strikers at the front in Christoph Baumgartner, Lois Openda and Yussuf Poulsen. The initial effect was imprecise passes, coordination problems and a lack of opportunities. Since Bremen wanted more but apparently couldn’t, a long ball into the penalty area from Felix Agu (22nd) caused a stir. However, friends and foes all flew past this.
So Leipzig helped. A cross from Milos Vejlkovic reached Seiwald in front of Nick Woltemade, Seiwald let the ball pass over his forehead and sank it unstoppably in the corner – of his own goal. Werder was right in the middle of the European Cup race and was now primarily limited to defending their lead.
Bremen had already taken the lead in the previous guest game in Leipzig, but back then Leipzig turned the game around with two very late goals. Now Poulsen (45th + 3) failed with the first really good opportunity to Bremen goalkeeper Michael Zetterer.
Rose reacts to the break
Rose reacted after the break, bringing on Sesko for Poulsen but sticking to the basic formation. Less than a minute had passed when Baumgartner had the equalizer on his head, but Zetterer defused his attempt from four meters. At Leipzig they were always looking for Sesko up front, who has become a topic at big European clubs thanks to his strong second half of the season.
After a long ball from Seiwald the time had come. Mohamed Simakan headed the ball into the center of the penalty area, where Sesko stood and finished with a strong technical shot to equalize. Leipzig now dominated the game as usual, Werder had difficulty breaking free. However, the Saxons still lacked precision in the final pass. Deep into stoppage time, Jens Tage (90+3) headed a corner from close range, but Peter Gulacsi prevented Bremen from winning with a reflex in the Leipzig goal.
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