Matchday 17: Werder loses again: Union second after a 2-1 win

17th matchday
Werder loses again: Union second after a 2-1 win

Union’s Janik Haberer celebrates his goal to make it 1-1. photo

© Carmen Jaspersen/dpa

Union Berlin is firmly in the top group. Without shining, the Köpenicker win at Werder Bremen. For the climber, the view goes further down.

Union Berlin was able to celebrate again: In the third game in the Weser Stadium, the guests from Berlin prevailed against hosts Werder Bremen, won the promoted team 2-1 (1-1) and are now second in the table. “It feels wonderful,” commented Berlin’s Rani Khedira.

In front of 41,500 spectators, Amos Pieper put Werder ahead four days after the 7-1 debacle at 1. FC Köln (14th minute). Janik Haberer (18th) and Kevin Behrens (46th) turned the game around for the Berliners, who with 33 points made the best half series in their first division history perfect. For Werder, on the other hand, it was their fourth defeat in a row – and on Saturday VfL Wolfsburg are the team of the moment in Bremen.

“It would have been better,” commented Bremen’s Leonardo Bittencourt. “The timing of the 1-2 was obviously very bad.” Bremen are promoted and have 21 points, we’ll take them in the second half of the season.” Khedira said: “We were the more active team in the first half. The second half was nothing to watch. But we fought.”

Union newcomer Juranovic makes a good impression

Union had won the previous guest appearances in the Weserstadion 2-0. The Köpenickers have long outstripped the former German champion von der Weser in other ways as well, as a look at the current transfer activities of both clubs shows. While Werder does not want to bring any more reinforcements this winter due to empty coffers, the Berliners signed Croatian international Josip Juranovic from Scottish champions Celtic Glasgow for an estimated eight million euros. In Bremen he celebrated his Bundesliga debut for the Unioner, made a good impression and prepared the 2-1.

Werder made up for the differences in the quality of the squad at least with great commitment. After the collective dropout in Cologne, the green-whites showed the reaction demanded by Werner, even if the hosts still made many shortcomings. So did Pieper, who slipped into the starting lineup for World Cup participant Milos Veljkovic. Shortly after the defender had given Werder the lead with a header after assisting Marvin Ducksch, he made a slapstick mistake at the back which Haberer used to equalise.

Werder defense at 1: 2 in a deep sleep

Shortly before the break, Bremen were lucky that another mistake didn’t lead to a deficit. Jiri Pavlenka, who seemed unsure after the seven goals conceded by Cologne, shot Kevin Behrens after a back pass, shortly afterwards Sheraldo Becker curled the ball wonderfully into the net to put the guests 2:1. However, the ball had jumped into Behrens’ hand beforehand, so the goal did not count after the intervention of the video referee.

Bremen still fell behind – a few seconds after half-time. At a Berlin corner, the Werder defense was in a deep sleep. Born in Bremen, Behrens took advantage of this and ensured the deserved Union leadership. Werder couldn’t think of much after that. Just because Union failed to add the third goal, the game remained exciting until the end. In the end, however, the points went back to the capital.

dpa

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