On Friday evening, 1. FC Nürnberg hosted Werder Bremen for the first time in League Two. Mathenia was the saviour for the Franconians for a long time in a competitive and gripping floodlit match, before Füllkrug and Bittencourt turned the game around late on.
Club coach Robert Klauß made one change compared to the 0:2 against Darmstadt. Shuranov replaced Schäffler in the starting eleven. Werder coach Markus Anfang also made only one change after the 1:1 against leaders St. Pauli. Agu, who was out with calf problems, was replaced by Weiser.
Anfang had seen a need for improvement in the handling of chances in the run-up to the game – but this shortcoming continued for the time being in Nuremberg. The visitors got off to the better start in Nuremberg, starting with pressure and courage and running FCN high, who in turn acted very frantically.
The club strikes ice cold
Ducksch, however, failed in a one-on-one with Mathenia, who steered the ball onto the crossbar (10.), before the Nuremberg backstop was also on the spot against Mbom (15.). This was Werder’s undoing a short time later: The 1.72 metre tall Dovedan scored with his head, completely unchallenged, with the first opportunity (19th) and marked Bremen’s sixth headed goal of the season, before Shuranov even missed the chance for a double strike (22nd).
After the Nuremberg lead, the game flattened out somewhat, but both teams continued to fight for every inch and threw everything in. Before the break, Bremen started running again and pushed FCN far into their half. Nuremberg lost more and more access and was only busy defending. But Mbom again found his master in Mathenia (42nd), and shortly before the break Valentini saved from Ducksch (44th), who was ready to shoot.
The visitors remained in control after the break. Schmid, however, shot too inaccurately (54th), Ducksch only hit the outer net (56th). The FCN fought their way back and put the first exclamation marks in the second half in the person of Geis (63.) and Valentini (67.).
Füllkrug and Bittencourt end Nuremberg’s home streak
The thrilling final phase was heralded by two great chances: Ducksch hit the post with a free kick (71st), Schleimer missed a one-on-one with Pavlenka (72nd). Then Füllkrug saved the visitors with a header after Veljkovic’s cross from half field – 1:1 (80th). And after Mathenia had saved twice from Ducksch (83rd, 85th), Bittencourt scored the ultimately deserved lead for the Green-Whites (88th).
The club was punished for its passive performance towards the end of the second half by the convincing Bremen side and suffered its first league home defeat of the season and, at the same time, its third compulsory match defeat in a row. Werder, who won from behind for the first time since relegation, moved to within two points.
The club must travel to Sandhausen after the international break (19 November,). Werder, on the other hand, host FC Schalke the following day (20.30).
