Werder Bremen claimed their first points of the Bundesliga season with a deserved 3-1 victory over RB Leipzig, as Eren Dinkci, Niclas Fullkrug and Marco Grull all found the net at the Weserstadion.
The result was Bremen’s first head-to-head victory over Leipzig in seven years and provided an immediate response to their heavy 4-1 defeat by Freiburg in their opening match. It also marked a memorable return to home scoring for Dinkci and Fullkrug, who both registered their first Bundesliga goals since returning to the Weserstadion.
Bremen made the ideal start in their first home game of the campaign, taking the lead within four minutes. Their energetic pressing forced Leipzig into an error high up the pitch, and the ball was moved quickly to Chuki.
He then produced a clever pass into the path of Eren Dinkci, who kept his composure to finish neatly on his first start since returning to Werder Bremen.
Leipzig struggled to settle and appeared to have been handed an opportunity to draw level when the referee awarded a penalty after Karl Hein challenged Christopher Nkunku. However, the decision was overturned following a video review, which showed that the goalkeeper had clearly won the ball.
The reprieve allowed Bremen to retain their advantage, while the home supporters were spared the frustration of seeing their side concede after such a strong opening.
Werder continued to threaten after the interval and almost doubled their lead in spectacular fashion. Youri Regeer attempted an ambitious lob from distance, catching Maarten Vandevoordt off his line. The RB Leipzig goalkeeper managed to backpedal and palm the effort against the crossbar.
There was little Vandevoordt could do moments later when Fullkrug made it 2-0. The striker found space inside the penalty area to meet Marco Grull’s outswinging corner and directed a powerful header beyond the goalkeeper’s desperate dive.
Leipzig’s afternoon deteriorated further with 10 minutes remaining. A weak defensive header fell to Marco Grull, who reacted quickly before driving a low shot into the near corner to put Bremen firmly in control.
RB Leipzig did manage to score a late consolation when Ridle Baku headed in from a deep cross. The goal came too late to change the outcome, however, and offered little comfort to Martin Demichelis.
The defeat was Demichelis’ first as RB Leipzig manager, leaving him with plenty to address before the club’s forthcoming UEFA Champions League match against Como.
For Bremen, the emphatic victory delivered their first points of the season and ended a lengthy wait for success against Leipzig. Their performance was built on aggressive pressing, efficient finishing and a strong response to the disappointment of their opening-day defeat.
Flashscore named Olivier Deman of Werder Bremen as the Man of the Match.
Full match statistics are available through Flashscore.