Bundesliga: Werder Bremen Stun Leverkusen with 2-0 Win, Inflicting First Home Defeat in 12 Game

Werder Bremen secured a surprise 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen, inflicting their first home defeat in 12 Bundesliga games.

Bayer Leverkusen's decision to rotate their lineup backfired, as they produced a disjointed performance in the first half. Werder Bremen, who had been struggling for form, capitalized on the hosts' lack of cohesion and took the lead just seven minutes into the match.

The goal was a result of some excellent build-up play by Bremen, as they worked the ball across the box before Andre Silva found Jens Stage. Stage then smartly squared the ball for Romano Schmid, who scored his second goal of the season, with his previous strike coming in the reverse fixture against Leverkusen.

By the 20-minute mark, Leverkusen had yet to register a shot on goal, and their performance failed to improve significantly as the half wore on. Emiliano Buendia's low strike was comfortably saved by Michael Zetterer, while Aleix Garcia's stoppage-time free-kick came back off the crossbar, denying Leverkusen a crucial equalizer before halftime.

Defeat.

90+6' | 0-2 | #B04SVW pic.twitter.com/1BkTN3S5la

— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) March 8, 2025

Werder Bremen thought they had doubled their lead just before the break when Milos Veljkovic bundled the ball home from close range, but his celebrations were cut short by the offside flag. The visitors took a narrow 1-0 lead into halftime, leaving Leverkusen with a mountain to climb in the second half.

The hosts' decision to rotate their lineup resulted in a disjointed and lackluster first-half performance. This vulnerability was swiftly exploited by Werder Bremen, who capitalized on Leverkusen's struggles within the opening seven minutes.

Werder Bremen showcased impressive teamwork as they worked the ball across the box, culminating in Andre Silva finding Jens Stage. Stage then intelligently squared the ball for Romano Schmid, who scored his second goal of the season – his first coming in the reverse fixture against Leverkusen.

By the 20-minute mark, Leverkusen had yet to register a shot on goal, and their performance failed to improve significantly as the half progressed. Emiliano Buendia's low strike was comfortably saved by Michael Zetterer, and Aleix Garcia's stoppage-time free-kick came agonizingly close, hitting the crossbar. Just before the break, Werder Bremen thought they had doubled their lead when Milos Veljkovic bundled the ball home from close range, but his celebrations were short-lived due to the offside flag.

In an attempt to revitalize his team's performance, Xabi Alonso made a triple substitution at halftime, which included the introduction of Florian Wirtz. However, Leverkusen's key player lasted less than 15 minutes, as he limped off injured before the hour mark after being on the receiving end of a heavy challenge from Mitchell Weiser.

The opening 20 minutes of the second half saw Leverkusen struggle to create scoring opportunities, mirroring their first-half performance. The home side looked devoid of ideas as they attempted to mount a comeback, leaving them in a precarious position. However, the news that Bayern Munich were trailing against Bochum seemed to galvanize Leverkusen, and they began to push forward with renewed urgency.

Exequiel Palacios emerged as the catalyst for Leverkusen's resurgence, driving forward from deep before unleashing a low drive that was tipped around the post by Michael Zetterer. Moments later, Palacios tested Zetterer again with a curling effort, but the goalkeeper was equal to the task. Despite their increased pressure, Leverkusen were unable to replicate their late heroics from last season, and their comeback efforts were ultimately thwarted.

In stoppage time, Justin Njinmah sealed the win for Werder Bremen, sweeping home from Keke Topp's cutback. This victory marked only Bremen's second win in 11 attempts in 2025. For Leverkusen, the defeat snapped a 12-match unbeaten run in Bundesliga home games, and they now face a daunting task against leaders Bayern Munich in midweek, trailing them by eight points in the standings.