Line-up and team news: Head coach Ole Werner had to do without Niklas Stark (adductor problem) and captain Marco Friedl (rib), so Christian Groß led the team out as skipper. After overcoming illness, Naby Keita was named in the matchday squad, and Felix Agu, who had been injured for a long time, returned to the bench.
Starting XI: Pavlenka – Deman. Pieper, Stage, Ducksch, Weiser, Veljkovic, Lynen, Borré, Schmid and Groß.
Bench: Zetterer – Jung, Kownacki, Bittencourt, Njinmah, Keïta, Rapp, Agu and Woltemade.
Darmstadt score a first-half double
First-half highlights:
4’: 1-0 to Darmstadt. The hosts work it quickly through midfield, and a through ball lands at the feet of Marvin Mehlem, who drives forward before crossing it into the middle from the left flank. Matthias Bader was positioned perfectly at the far post to tap it in and give the home side the lead.
11’: A long ball finds Ducksch, but he’s unable to bring the ball under total control. It eventually falls to Borré, who has a go from the half-right position. His shot, however, gets blocked and doesn’t pose any danger.
17’: A good chance falls for Werder as Ducksch lines up a free kick 25 yards from goal. His shot is a little too central, and Marcel Schuhen is able to fist it clear for a corner.
22’: The hosts are on the attack. Tim Skarke crosses in from the left, and the ball gets flicked on to the far post, where Matthias Bader is lingering once again. Milos Veljkovic is aware to the danger, though, and gets to the ball first before clearing.
25’: 2-0 to Darmstadt. Just as things were looking better for the Green-Whites, the hosts get their second. A long ball catches the Green-Whites defence out. Tim Skarke charges down the left wing before coming slightly more central and slamming the ball into the bottom-right corner.
34’: Some good combination play between Skarke and Bader brings the hosts in front of SVW’s goal once again, but in the end it’s one pass too many, and Jirí Pavlenka is able to intervene and snatch the ball into his grasp.
Two second-half goals nothing more than a consolation
Second-half highlights:
49’: Ducksch crosses into the box from a free kick, and Klaus Gjasula almost deflects the ball into his own net. Marcel Schuhen is on hand to claw the ball out for a corner.
50’: 3-0 to Darmstadt. A misplaced pass from Werder makes it easy for the hosts. Marvin Mehlem charges towards Pavlenka’s goal and slots it into the bottom-left corner.
57’: Finally, some good play from SVW! Woltemade sends it long for Njinmah to run on to, who then has a go from around 15 yards out. However, the shot is too weak and is a comfortable save for Schuhen.
60’: Mathias Honsak gets on the ball just outside Werder’s penalty area, but his eventual shot fortunatley sails over the bar.
62’: Christian Groß handles the ball in the area, and the referee is alerted of this by VAR and goes to the screen before awarding a penalty to the hosts.
62’: 4-0 to Darmstadt. Pavlenka chooses the right side, and almost gets a hand to the ball, but Tobias Kempe’s penalty finds the back of the net for Darmstadt’s fourth.
70’: Goal for Werder. A nice move from SVW brings a goal back! Weiser drives down the wing and crosses it in, before Deman rises highest to head it in for 4-1 and open his Bundesliga account!
77’: A Darmstadt cross finds its way to the back post, where Mathias Honsak is well poised, but his effort fortunately goes off target.
79’: Werder get a second through Milos Veljkovic. Naby Keita plays a perfect ball through to Ducksch, who lays it across the box for Veljkovic to tap home and halve the deficit!
82’: The hosts are on the attack again. A lofted pass finds Mathias Honsak, who then lets fly and shoots just wide of the left post.
88’: The atmosphere has changed, SVW are really pressing and looking for their next goal. On the other hand, Darmstadt are keeping it tight at the back. Justin Njinmah places an incredible cross into the penalty box, and Dawid Kownacki gets up to try and head it past Schuhen. However, his header is inaccurate and poses no problem to Darmstadt’s Number 1, who safely collects.
90’+6’: Full time.
Summary: SV Werder lost 4-2 to SV Darmstadt 98. After the hosts clearly dominated in the first half and shocked Werder early on, the Green-Whites went on to make a poor start after the break as well. SVW only seemed to wake up after SVD netted their fourth, and it was only from the 70th minute on that SVW started to play with gumption, showed a better attitude and got a couple of goals back through Deman and Veljkovic. In the end, Damrstadt’s 4-0 lead was too much for Werder to get back in the game and take anything from it.
Darmstadt score a first-half double
First-half highlights:
4’: 1-0 to Darmstadt. The hosts work it quickly through midfield, and a through ball lands at the feet of Marvin Mehlem, who drives forward before crossing it into the middle from the left flank. Matthias Bader was positioned perfectly at the far post to tap it in and give the home side the lead.
11’: A long ball finds Ducksch, but he’s unable to bring the ball under total control. It eventually falls to Borré, who has a go from the half-right position. His shot, however, gets blocked and doesn’t pose any danger.
17’: A good chance falls for Werder as Ducksch lines up a free kick 25 yards from goal. His shot is a little too central, and Marcel Schuhen is able to fist it clear for a corner.
22’: The hosts are on the attack. Tim Skarke crosses in from the left, and the ball gets flicked on to the far post, where Matthias Bader is lingering once again. Milos Veljkovic is aware to the danger, though, and gets to the ball first before clearing.
25’: 2-0 to Darmstadt. Just as things were looking better for the Green-Whites, the hosts get their second. A long ball catches the Green-Whites defence out. Tim Skarke charges down the left wing before coming slightly more central and slamming the ball into the bottom-right corner.
34’: Some good combination play between Skarke and Bader brings the hosts in front of SVW’s goal once again, but in the end it’s one pass too many, and Jirí Pavlenka is able to intervene and snatch the ball into his grasp.