SV Werder Bremen extended their unbeaten Bundesliga run to six matches on Saturday, securing a 3-2 victory away against FSV Mainz 05. The result moved the North German side to 12 points, climbing to sixth place in the league standings, while Mainz dropped to seventh with 10 points. For the hosts, the defeat meant they continued a winless home streak dating back to March.
Niclas Füllkrug’s Penalty Double
Niclas Füllkrug proved central to the win, converting two penalties to bring his season tally to eight goals. Füllkrug doubled the lead in the 25th minute after Marco Grüll was brought down by Danny da Costa. Füllkrug’s performance marked his sixth Bundesliga game with a goal, and he currently leads the league’s scoring chart.
Füllkrug has now converted 16 Bundesliga penalties, with his last miss dating back to December 2017 against Bayern Munich’s Sven Ulreich. With eight goals in seven matches, Füllkrug has matched a record previously held by Rudi Völler for the most goals by a Bremen player at this stage of a season. Völler famously managed to score in seven consecutive matches during the 1982/83 campaign. Ahead of the match, national team coach Jürgen Klopp had noted with a smile that while the striker was scoring consistently, his age of 33 remained a factor.
Mainz and Bremen Trade Goals After Halftime
Mainz narrowed the deficit before halftime when Anthony Caci headed in a cross from Sheraldo Becker in the 33rd minute. Bremen restored their two-goal cushion in the 61st minute through Ludovit Reis, whose shot from the edge of the box took a decisive deflection off Phillipp Mwene, leaving goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow helpless. Just two minutes later, Jae-sung Lee headed in a cross from Caci to bring the score to 2-3.
Unlike their previous three league outings, Bremen did not have to overcome an early deficit, having previously become the first side in Bundesliga history to earn points in three consecutive games after trailing 0-2. Despite late pressure from the hosts, Bremen held on for the win. While the team celebrated the three points, the match concluded with an emotional reaction from Füllkrug upon his substitution in the 81st minute. The striker was seen shouting and gesturing toward the bench, later explaining: I was exhausted and waiting for the substitution. I just wanted to come off, we needed eleven men, we defended deep. Mainz didn’t hesitate with any cross.
Next Competitive Fixtures
Werder Bremen continues its campaign next weekend as the club looks to maintain its current form in the top half of the table. FSV Mainz 05 will look to recover from the loss in their upcoming league fixture.
