Reitz with a brace as Borussia and Bremen draw 2-2

Borussia drew 2-2 with Werder Bremen in their final home game of 2023. Rocco Reitz turned the game around with the brace after the Foals went behind early on, but Marvin Ducksch rescued a point for the visitors.

In front of 50,660 spectators at BORUSSIA-PARK, the opponents from Bremen started the match as the better side and took the lead early on. A cross from the right flank came to Rafael Borré, whose first-time effort beat Borussia goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas to make it 1-0 in the 7th minute. The Foals needed a bit of time to get going, but steadily improved and came closer and closer to an equaliser. This happened just before the break in the 45th minute as Rocco Reitz placed a low shot into the far corner.

Borussia took the momentum from that equaliser with them into the second half and didn’t need long to complete the turnaround in the 49th minute. After brilliant build-up play from Luca Netz, Alassane Plea and Robin Hack, it was Reitz again whose calm and composed finish left Zetterer with no chance.

TEAM NEWS

Head coach Gerardo Seoane made two changes to his side from the 3-1 defeat at Union Berlin. Robin Hack returned to the starting lineup in place of the unwell Tomáš Čvančara. Manu Koné also replaced Christoph Kramer. Joe Scally, Nico Elvedi and Max Wöber made up the back three in front of goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas. Franck Honorat (right) and Luca Netz (left) functioned as wing-backs. Manu Koné featured in midfield alongside Julian Weigl and Rocco Reitz, with Hack and Alassane Plea spearheading the attack.

As well as long-term absentees Jordan (muscle strain), Tony Jantschke, Ko Itakura, Stefan Lainer (all building up their fitness in training), Jonas Omlin, Lukas Ullrich (both recovering from shoulder operations) and Hannes Wolf (back in training after a knee meniscus tear), Tomáš Čvančara was missing due to illness.

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

1’: Koné with the first effort! The Frenchman powers forward through midfield and lets fly from distance. His shot though is too close to Zetterer.

7’: Bremen take the lead! Schmid crosses from the right into the Gladbach box, where Borré has too much space and strikes first time into the bottom corner. Nicolas gets a hand to it but can’t keep it out.

27’: After winning the ball in midfield, it goes forward quickly via Weigl, Reitz and Honorat, who feeds Plea in the middle. He strikes it first time but it’s over the bar.

45’: GOAL! Reitz with the equaliser! Borussia are camped inside the Bremen penalty area, win the ball back multiple times and eventually the ball lands, via Hack, at the feet of the Reitz, who shoots with his left and curls the ball into the far corner.

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS

47’: Off the woodwork! Koné breaks through, strikes it and hits the right post. The ball then comes to Plea, but his follow-up is straight at Zetterer.

49’: GOAL! Reitz gets his second! Netz and Plea make the goal possible with a superb one-two in midfield before finding Hack, who squares it to Reitz in a better position. The home-grown Borussia talent beats the defender and calmly finishes for 2-1.

59’: So nearly 3-1! Plea is played in by Koné about 17 yards from goal, aims for the far corner and strikes it narrowly wide of the post.

70’: Stage gets his head to the ball in the penalty area but puts it wide.

76’: Equaliser for Werder! Nicolas tries to get his hand to a seemingly harmless cross, but the substitute Njinmah intercepts and pokes the ball to Ducksch who makes it 2-2.

90+2’: After a foul on Weiser, referee Zwayer initially shows Kramer the red card, but after VAR intervention it’s downgraded to a yellow.

STATISTICS

Borussia: Nicolas – Scally, Elvedi, Wöber – Honorat (Ranos 87’), Reitz (Kramer 81’), Weigl, Koné (Neuhaus 87’), Netz – Hack (Ngoumou 81’), Plea (Borges Sanches 90’) // Unused substitutes: Olschowsky, Chiarodia, Friedrich, Herrmann

Werder Bremen: Zetterer – Veljkovic, Stark, Jung – Weiser, Schmid (Njinmah 68’), Stage, Bittencourt (Lynen 68’), Deman (Agu 86’) – Borré (Kownacki 90+4’), Ducksch // Unused substitutes: Pavlenka, Keita, Woltemade, Groß, Röcker

Goals: 0-1 Borré (7’), 1-1 Reitz (45’), 2-1 Reitz (49’), 2-2 Ducksch (76’)

Yellow cards: Wöber, Honorat, Weigl, Kramer – Weiser, Schmid

Attendance: 50,660

Referee: Felix Zwayer (Berlin)