Werder Bremen and Nuremberg played out a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Weserstadion to share the points in their Bundesliga clash.
In the first half there appeared to be only one winner as a Berkay Dabanli own goal and fine effort from Eljero Elia put the hosts 2-0 up. However, Hiroshi Kiyotake got one back late in the half.
The visitors came out strongly and were level not long after the restart through substitute Josip Drmic. Back ahead went the hosts through Elia's second, but a second equaliser from Adam Hlousek completed the scoring.
Read how the action unfolded with our live text commentary below.
Hello fussball fans. We have another Bundesliga double-header for you tonight. First it's Werder Bremen taking on the struggling Nuremberg.
Of their six games so far, Bremen have only played two at home so it is a welcome return to the Weserstadion for them this afternoon. In their last game here they were hammered by Frankfurt so you have to go back to matchday two and August 17 for their last three points in front of their home crowd.
Indeed, since the two wins to start the new season Werder have struggled. Mainly in front of goal. Three straight defeats were ended last weekend with a win over Hamburger SV and they will want more of the same against a Nuremberg side yet to win in the league, home or away.
Despite Nuremberg yet having won, they are difficult to beat, which does suggest that results are not too far away. Four draws from six won't be making opponents nervous, of course, but the 1-1 last weekend to end Dortmund's 100% start will be encouraging for them.
There are under 20 minutes now until kickoff, so time for the team news...
BREMEN XI: Mielitz; Fritz, Lukimya, Caldirola, Garcia; Makiadi, Junuzovic, Ekici, Elia, Hunt; Petersen
NUREMBERG XI: Schafer; Chandler, Dabanli, Pogatetz, Plattenhardt; Hasebe, Stark, Esswein, Kiyotake, Hlousek; Pekhart
So there you have it. For the hosts Zlatko Junuzovic comes back into the side in the hosts' only change. Nuremberg line up with Tomas Pekhart in attack, with Hiroshi Kiyotake and Adam Hlousek in support.
With just five minutes to go a look at the odds tells us that Werder are fancied for this one. You can get just worse than evens on them, while Nuremberg are some way back at nearly 4-1 with some bookies. The draw, at 11-4, considering Nuremberg's season so far looks very good to me.
That said, I'm actually going to go for an away win today. I like a lot of the players in this team and think it will come together for them this afternoon. Let's say 2-1.
KICKOFF: Right on time, we're underway here at the Weserstadion.
Timothy Chandler gives the ball away to Aaron Hunt, but his pass through to Petersen is cut out well by Pogatetz, who puts it out for a throw. A little bit nervy early on there for the American right-back.
Raphael Schafer gets a good early touch there as Hunt tries to cross but gives it straight to the keeper. Hunt, now across to the left, is caught offside from Ekici's pass - poor running really, there was no need to be off.
Schafer then almost manages to fumble the ball into his own net. A cross from Garcia should be comfortable, but instead he cannot gather and luckily fumbles it out in front of him rather than through his legs.
GOAL! Werder 1-0 Nuremberg (Dabanli o.g.)
Nuremberg were looking nervous early on and it has come back to bite them. As Garcia drills in a cross from the left towards Petersen - who was offside - it hits Dabanli's foot and squirms in at the near post. I think it's been credited to the left back Garcia, which is not right in my opinion.
Werder did not really create any good chances, but they deserve that early goal because they've been the only side attacking. Still they are on the ball and only give it up for fouls or offsides - as Makiadi catches Stark late.
Nuremberg try to work a move with Hlousek involved down the left, but the final pass is not there and Bremen can come again. Suddenly at the other end the hosts have a corner off Pogatetz.
Bremen have had 53% of the possession, which seems low to me. They've also had fewer shots. But those stats don't tell the story - they have been comfortably the better side so far.
It has not been a great game of football so far. Despite going behind Nuremberg are still looking to play tight with numbers behind the ball. The Bremen defence have looked a little nervous from long balls so far, which they should target more.
CHANCE: A difficult chance for Hunt, but a chance nonetheless. Elia does well to get into the box and break clear of defenders. He's wide on the left and plays in Hunt, whose left-footed effort goes wide. It would have been a fine strike to go in from there.
CLOSE! Petersen just needs a touch there and it's 2-0. Garcia again is the dangerman down the left and he fizzes a cross in that Petersen just cannot quite reach.
SAVE! Werder are really on top now. Garcia once more is the key man as this time he breaks into midfield and plays Hunt through down the left. From an angle the midfielder goes for goal on his left but Schafer does well to parry it clear.
The frantic few moments are over, and fortunately for Nuremberg they are still just a goal behind. Pekhart up front cannot have had more than five touches so far and he is getting very isolated.
Chandler escapes a booking for going through Makiadi from behind. It wasn't nasty, but you're always going to get the player instead of the ball from that angle. Ekici finds Elia with it, who lays it off to Hunt but his shot is sliced and easily cleared.
BOOKING: Chandler goes into the book after he brought Ekici down right on the edge of the box. Just outside. He is booked just moments after avoiding a yellow. Ekici hits the wall with the free kick and the danger is cleared.
GOAL! Werder 2-0 Nuremberg (Eljero Elia)
Elia comes sprinting over to Robin Dutt as he strikes a fine effort into the the corner. The ball came across him from Garcia and he struck it with his instep and beat Schafer. A good goal.
The way it stands Nuremberg stand very little chance of getting back into this one. They have been disjointed all game. Kiyotake steps over a free kick wide on the right and it's directed goalwards by I think Pogatetz, but way off target.
Nuremberg have seen a lot more of the ball in the last few minutes, but they aren't turning their possession into chances. They're yet to have a real one in the game and Werder can now counter with freedom.
BOOKING: Junuzovic goes into the book for a poor tackle, but Nuremberg cannot create anything from it and instead the hosts come forward through Elia.
GOAL! Werder 2-1 Nuremberg (Hiroshi Kiyotake)
What a fantastic strike! Pekhart hooks in a cross that Werder cannot clear. It drops to the Japanese who rifles a half-volley into the top corner. They're suddenly back in this, Nuremberg.
BOOKING: Stark is the next to be booked. He's in very late on Makiadi and can have no complaints.
HALF TIME: Werder Bremen 2-1 Nuremberg
So the first half ends and that was a really good battle. To be fair, Werder deserve to be more than one goal ahead, but Kiyotake took his late chance so well and Nuremberg now have something to build on.
There were not many chances early on but the game burst into life as the hosts pressed forward. The first goal had a huge slice of fortune as Garcia's cross was deflected into his own net by Dabanli, but the second was a really well taken strike from Elia.
Before that late goal I would have expected Michael Wiesinger to make changes at the break, but now he may well look o see how it goes for 15 minutes. His side have not played well, but the fact that they are still in it should encourage the players.
The players are making their way back out for the second half. Should Werder stay in control then they should take the points here.
NUREMBERG SUB: I was wrong. There is a change. Alexander Esswein is coming off for Josip Drmic.
KICKOFF: The hosts get us back underway for the second half.
Chance early in the second half for Garcia to cross once more, but there is no-one waiting for it. He's forward at every chance, the left-back, and has been the best player on the pitch so far.
Half-chance for the new man Drmic, as he turns on the edge of box after being found by Kiyotake, but he could not get it on target.
Nuremberg are looking much better this halg. Hasebe drives forward before finding Chandler, but the American is well closed down. In the end Plattenhardt's pass is deflected into the path of Mielitz, who gathers.
GOAL! Werder 2-2 Nuremberg (Josip Drmic)
What a change from Wiesinger. Pekhart marauds forward down the right and works space for a cross. It's pinpoint for Drmic, who scuffs his finish somewhat but finds the bottom corner. Incredibly, Nuremberg are level.
SAVE: Straight up the other end Schafer is tested as Ekici rises high at the far post, but the goalkeeper is across to parry it away. A comfortable save, but he still had to keep it out. This really could go either way now.
OFF THE LINE: Werder have reacted well to the setback and they have just come very close to restoring their lead. Lukimya wins a header from a corner, but Plattenhardt is on the line to knee it clear.
CLOSE: Ekici puts in one of the most dangerous crosses from the left as you're likely to see, but the flag was up as he'd just taken it out of play. I'm not so sure, but either way no-one turned it into the net.
SAVE: Hasebe wins the header from a Plattenhardt free kick, but can only direct it into the gloves of Mielitz.
GOAL! Werder 3-2 Nuremberg (Eljero Elia)
Really good passing football there. Peterson plays the reverse ball into the box for Ekici, whose shot is deflected for a corner. From it, the ball is punched dreadfully by Schafer, who is out of position when it's fired back into the corner by Elia. A great hit, but appalling goalkeeping.
CHANCE: Kiyotake hurls himself at a cross from Drmic, but can't quite turn it goalwards. A chance for both sides; Mike Frantz on for Stark for the visitors, while Felix Kroos replaces Makiadi in green.
GOAL! Werder 3-3 Nuremberg (Adam Hlousek)
What a pass from Kiyotake, who was initially found by a fine backheel from Drmic. Kiyotake gets it through for Hlousek to slot in for Nuremberg's second equaliser.
CHANCE! It could be 4-3 to the visitors! A deep cross finds Drmic completely unmarked, but he's quite far out for a header and it's easy for Mielitz. Once again dreadful defending.
Nuremberg are now looking the better team. Crosses are coming in from all angles and the Werder defence is beginning to wobble just slightly.
CHANCE: Hunt goes for goal from outside the box and it was struck well, but took a deflection which made some of the sting come out of it and Schafer gathered. Ekici then goes into the book for throwing the ball away.
SAVE! From the free kick Mielitz does really well to get one hand on Pekhart's header to turn it wide. From it it's an unbelievable effort from Drmic who swivels and hits the ball full on the volley but it clips the bar on its way over. Gebre Selassie comes on for Fritz for the hosts.
Nuremberg are still looking to attack down the wings, but Werder are looking more solid the more clearances they make. The away side are seeing more of the ball, however, and look most likely to win this.
WERDER SUB: The excellent Elia comes off for Polish striker Kobylanski. He's tall, which is what frantic ends to games demand.
Still it's Nuremberg asking most of the questions. They are probing patiently but at the moment there is no way through, as Chandler shoots left-footed from the edge of the box but his effort is easy for Mielitz.
The home crowd are doing their best, but I think they'll be out of luck today. This is heading for a draw, but for a moment of brilliance or idiocy.
There will be two minutes of added time. It has been a game played in good spirits and has been a great advert for this league.
Late corner here for the visitors... Can they snatch it late on?
FULL TIME: Werder Bremen 3-3 Nuremberg
Let's hope the next game can live up to that! I'm done here, but please head over to Braunschweig vs. Stuttgart which will be up on site in a few!
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
