Thanks to a ridiculously spectacular performance against 1. FC Köln, Werder Bremen actually managed to jump onto the relegation field on match day 34 of the Bundesliga. As a second team next to SC Paderborn, Fortuna Düsseldorf descends directly to the 2nd division.
Werder Bremen – 1. FC Köln 6: 1 (3: 0)
With another miracle from the Weser, Werder Bremen averted the first descent in 40 years. The Bremen team beat 1. FC Köln 6-1 (3-0) in height almost sensationally and climbed onto the relegation field on the last matchday of the Bundesliga because the direct competitor Fortuna Düsseldorf 0-3 (0 : 1) lost at Union Berlin. In the 1900th premier league game of club history, Yuya Osako (22nd minute, 58th), Milot Rashica (27th), Niclas Füllkrug (29th), Davy Klaassen (55th) and Josh Sargent (68th) met for the North Germans, who now meet either 1. FC Heidenheim or Hamburger SV in the relegation. For Bremen it was only the second home win of the season. The completely disappointing 1. FC Köln won no game since the restart after the Corona break. Dominick Drexler (62) scored for the Rhinelander.
Tore: 1: 0 Osako (22.), 2: 0 Rashica (27.), 3: 0 Füllkrug (29.), 4: 0 Klaassen (55.), 5: 0 Osako (58.), 5: 1 Drexler ( 62.), 6: 1 Sargent (68.)
Bremen: Pavlenka – Gebre Selassie, Veljkovic, Moisander, Friedl – Vogt (81st Bargfrede) – Maximilian Eggestein, Klaassen (75th Bartels) – Osako (87th Pizarro) – Füllkrug (46th Sargent), Rashica (87th Bittencourt); Trainer: Kohfeldt.
Cologne: Timo Horn – Leistner (34. Right), Bornauw, Czichos – Ehizibue, Skhiri, Rexhbecaj (46th Thielmann), Jakobs (75th Lemperle) – Uth (46th Katterbach), Drexler – Modeste (75th Clemens); Trainer: Gisdol.
Referee: Dankert (Rostock)
Spectator: no
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Before the game, the belief in jumping to 16th place in Bremen was quite manageable. Only a few fans had received the team from coach Florian Kohfeldt at the Weserstadion. Four years ago, several thousand fans had given the green and whites an exciting reception before the decisive game against Eintracht Frankfurt. Werder saved themselves with a 1-0. Because of the corona restrictions, large crowds are currently prohibited.
But Kohfeldt set an example with his line-up and in the relegation endgame to full offensive power. For the first time since his serious knee injury, Füllkrug was in the starting line-up of the North Germans. In addition, Rashica had got fit in time. The duo Rashica and Füllkrug, together with the Japanese Osako, formed the attacking trio of Bremen’s attackers, who are often so harmless this season. And the courage of the Kohfeldt, which is no longer undisputed in Bremen after the dramatic downhill sport, was rewarded. Osako and Rashica had their first chances in the early stages before Osako broke the spell in the 22nd minute. Via Marco Friedl and Maximilian Eggestein the ball came to the Japanese, who threw the play equipment nicely into the Cologne goal.
The huge pressure that was initially noticeable to the hosts was now gone. Rashica with his first goal in 2020 and filling pitcher raised before the break. Since Union Berlin led 1-0 against Fortuna Dusseldorf in parallel, Werder was 16th at the break and even after the break, everything went according to plan for the green-whites. Klaassen and Osako quickly increased the result, in Berlin Union increased against Düsseldorf to 2: 0. The starting position for Werder was suddenly optimal. The Bremen team were not unsettled by Drexler’s first Cologne goal, followed up again with Sargent and were able to celebrate the provisional rescue at the end.
Union Berlin – Fortuna Dusseldorf 3: 0 (1: 0)
Despondent, powerless – second division! Fortuna Dusseldorf has to take the bitter leap into the second division after an extremely disappointing Bundesliga final. The team of coach Uwe Rösler at 1. FC Union Berlin lost their better starting position compared to Werder Bremen and slipped to 17th place in the table due to the 0: 3 (0: 1). Former Bremen player Anthony Ujah (26th minute), Christian Gentner (54th) and Suleiman Abdullahi (89th) scored the goals for the Iron team at Stadion An der Alten Försterei on Saturday, which celebrated a conciliatory end to the season after the already secured class remaining even caught up with local rivals Hertha BSC on points.
Tore: 1: 0 Ujah (26th), 2: 0 Gentner (54th), 3: 0 Abdullahi (90th)
Union: Gikiewicz – Trimmel, Friedrich, Schlotterbeck, Reichel – Kroos (61. Malli), Prömel (66. Becker) – Bülter (81. Parensen), Gentner, Mees (62. Schmiedebach) – Ujah (61. Abdullahi); Trainer: Fischer.
Düsseldorf: Kastenmeier – Ayhan, Jörgensen (29. Hoffmann), Gießelmann (62. Suttner) – Stöger, Bodzek (62. Morales) – Zimmermann, Thommy – Skrzybski (62. Kownacki), Hennings, Karaman (73. Zimmer); Trainer: Roesler.
Referee: Osmers (Hanover)
Spectator: no
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Düsseldorf, on the other hand, has to take the league into the 2nd Bundesliga for the sixth time after a season with many missed opportunities. As with the last crash seven years ago, the Fortuna only slipped to a direct relegation zone on the last match day. Two points and four goals ahead of Werder were not enough to defend the relegation rank at least. “We want to win the game, then we are not dependent on other results,” said Rösler before the kick-off. Accordingly, Dusseldorf took off in Berlin-Köpenick with a three-man attack around Torgarant Rouwen Hennings and ex-Unioner Steven Skrzybski alongside Kenan Karaman. “I am a coach who likes to play forward,” said Rösler, who has to go down a class for the first time in his coaching career.
The fear of falling was quickly palpable. Erik Thommy played a free kick from the half field back early towards his own goal. Hennings, posted in the opposing penalty area, obviously didn’t like that at all. The first goal approach came with a header from Kaan Ayhan (12th), which Gentner blocked with a header a meter before the line. Karaman’s spoonful shot (16th) missed the goal. Overall, however, the determination was missing. Fortuna had to experience bitterly how effective Union can be with standards. A shot by Joshua Mees after a corner deflected the well-placed Ujah through the legs of goalkeeper Florian Kastenmeier for the lead into the goal. Another bad luck of the guests: Mathias Jörgensen injured himself in the scene in a duel with Keven Schlotterbeck. André Hoffmann defended for him.
Union – again cheered loudly by fans outside the stadium – then reduced its own offensive actions. Düsseldorf could not get out of the excess weight until the halfway point. Grischa Prömel (45.) almost punished this. Kastenmeier barely directed his shot around the post. It was only at half-time that Rösler wanted to get the result from Bremen, he had said before the game. The customer from the 3: 0 on the Weser was difficult to cope with for the Fortuna. Now you were on a relegation zone. And the game went on in the same manner. Düsseldorf was technically and playfully superior, but not consistently in the penalty area. Union is completely different. Gentner took the first chance in the second section after an Ayhan mistake to make it 2-0. Düsseldorf did not recover from this neck blow, even if the Fortuna increased the pressure again in the final sprint and came with some chances. Hennings was not lucky either, Markus Suttner (69.) only hit the crossbar seconds later.
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