Leipzig's Werner celebrates thanks to dream goal against former club Bremen

Also thanks to a dream goal from new international Assan Ouédraogo, coach Ole Werner celebrated a win with RB Leipzig against his former club Werder Bremen. The Saxons won 2:0 (0:0) against Werder and regained second place in the Bundesliga table. It was Bremen's first defeat after five unbeaten games in a row, leaving Werder in eighth place.

In front of 47,800 spectators in the sold-out Red Bull Arena, Ouédraogo put Leipzig ahead with a spectacular long-range strike (63rd minute). After a corner, Austrian Xaver Schlager increased the lead to 2:0 (80th).

RB fans protest against "security mania"

RB fans, who tend not to be ultra fans, protested ahead of the conference of interior ministers in Bremen on December 3, which will focus on security in German stadiums, with a large banner in their corner with the inscription: "Against your security mania - the stadiums are safe!". The supporters were speaking out against the planned measures such as personalized tickets and facial recognition.

The Werder-Kurve raised the question: "Is this the future of soccer?". When the RB fans started their songs after three minutes, there were whistles from the Bremen block, which had been silent for twelve minutes.

Werner was forced to make a change as striker Rômulo was unable to play after suffering a tendon irritation in his right knee. Instead, Conrad Harder made his starting eleven debut. Castello Lukeba also returned to the back four for the injured El Chadaille Bitshiabu (muscle injury). Bremen coach Horst Steffen only brought on Cameron Puertas for Justin Njinmah compared to the 2-1 win against Wolfsburg.

Bremen's Backhaus prevents them from going behind early

Leipzig were immediately on the offensive, but failed to score in succession against strong Werder goalkeeper Mio Backhaus, who was first on hand to stop Antonia Nusa (5') and then Ouédraogo's low shot from 20 meters (32') before clearing the ball for a corner. Young international Ouédraogo (38) then narrowly missed from a similar position. Seconds later, Christoph Baumgartner shot from close range straight into the arms of Backhaus, who then scrambled a deflected Baumgartner shot straight out of the corner in first-half stoppage time.

Before that, Leipzig were at odds with referee Martin Petersen after Baumgartner (26) was pulled off his feet by Karim Coulibaly in a collision in the penalty area. Petersen refused to award a penalty. Leipzig completely pinned Bremen back into their own half. Werder did not have a single direct shot at the RB goal. Sporting director Clemens Fritz complained to the streaming service DAZN at the break about the "accuracy of the passing, especially when we come towards the opposition half like that".

Ouédraogo gives RB the lead

After the changeover, Peter Gulacsi had to stretch himself for the first time after a shot from Puertas (51') to the near corner. Suddenly Werder were there. When Jens Stage was sent upfield and headed straight for the RB goal, Yan Diomande (59) made the perfect save in the penalty area. Seconds later, Bremen's Marco Grüll scraped Baumgartner's ball off the line.

Then Backhaus and the Bremen players were powerless: Ouédraogo (63) curled the ball straight into the corner from 20 meters to take the lead - in the middle of a Bremen pressure phase. Gulacsi then saved from Romano Schmid (70'). Bremen then celebrated the equalizer, but Keke Topp (71) was offside, as confirmed by the VAR. Instead, Schlager made the final decision in the closing stages when he scored from close range after a corner.