Werder striker Marvin Ducksch has ended his more than two-month goal drought and inflicted VfB Stuttgart’s first defeat after eleven unbeaten league games. The Bremen attacker scored twice in the Green-Whites’ 2-1 (1-0) win against the Swabians on Sunday and was the match winner for the hosts in the sold-out Weserstadion with 42,100 spectators. Ducksch, who last scored at the beginning of February, was successful with a penalty kick in the 28th minute and in the 49th minute. Deniz Undav (71st) only scored the next goal for VfB.
After seven games without a win, Werder took a big step towards staying in the league and was the big winner in the relegation battle of the Bundesliga. VfB, on the other hand, had to accept a small setback, but as third in the table they are still on course for the Champions League.
VfB, who had recently won five times in a row away from home, struggled right from the start on the Weser. The Swabians’ lively offensive game did not get going as usual because Bremen defended in a disciplined manner and left the guests little space. Apart from a header from national player Undav that hit the crossbar shortly before half-time, Stuttgart were hardly dangerous.
If I were to speak from the fans’ point of view, they hope I’m gone in the summer.
Marvin Duksch At the beginning of the week in the podcast “Kicker meets DAZN”
However, at the time of the Undav chance, VfB was already behind. After the very unfortunate Jamie Leweling fouled Bremen’s full-back Felix Agu in the penalty area, Ducksch safely converted the penalty. It was the striker’s tenth goal of the season and his first goal since the beginning of February.
Ducksch had recently come under criticism from some fans and had therefore publicly complained that he felt he was being treated unfairly. “If I were to speak from the fans’ point of view, they would hope that I would be gone in the summer,” the attacker said in the “Kicker meets DAZN” podcast at the beginning of the week. After his goal, he formed his hands into a heart and let the spectators celebrate him.
After the break the game really picked up speed. First, Nick Woltemade, who will be moving to VfB in the summer, missed the chance to make it 2-0 (48th). Then Leweling failed on the other side due to the strong Werder goalkeeper Michael Zetterer (49th). In return, Bremen extended their lead to 2-0. After a sharp cross from Romano Schmid, Ducksch was there in the middle. For the first time since the 3-1 win against Freiburg at the end of January, the fan classic “Ducksch is on fire” was heard again in the Weserstadion.
But Stuttgart didn’t give up and scored through Undav. The national striker poked the ball out of the crowd and into the Bremen goal. VfB then pushed for an equalizer and had numerous good chances. But Werder achieved the important success with great fighting spirit and a bit of luck over time.