Werder secure Nordderby win thanks to Stage brace

Jens Stage had missed more than a month and was not guaranteed to play the Nordderby. Werder needed him, though, and he stepped up in a big way. With the game tied at 1-1, the Dane unleashed a curling shot from distance to put his side ahead in the 57th minute.

Werder would go on to win 3-1 thanks to Stage's brace and a goal from Cameron Puertas in added time. Robert Glatzel scored the lone HSV goal in a chippy game that saw the visitors reduced to ten men. It marks the first time Werder have won a Bundesliga Nordderby since February 2018. 

In the fifth minute, HSV got the first big chance of the game. A free-kick was flicked on to Glatzel, but the 32-year-old's header was just wide.

Two minutes later, Werder recorded the game's first shot on target. Justin Njinmah darted behind the HSV backline, but his shot from a narrow angle was saved easily by Daniel Heuer Fernandes. The HSV goalkeeper was called into action a minute later, making a comfortable save from a Puertas shot.

Disaster struck for Werder in the 13th minute, when a quick free-kick found Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer. His low cross was deflected into the path of Glatzel, who had an easy tap-in to break the deadlock. However, Königsdörffer was offside, and the goal was wiped out.

Königsdörffer continued to cause problems for Werder. In the 26th minute, he eluded Amos Pieper, but his shot curled past the far post. HSV won the ball back on the ensuing goalkick after sloppy play from Mio Backhaus, but Backhaus recovered to make the save from a Fábio Vieira shot.

With seven minutes left in the half, Werder struck. HSV failed to deal with a Werder cross, and the ball fell to Yukinari Sugawara. Sugawawa whipped in another cross, and this time, captain Stage nodded in to make it 1-0 after 37 minutes.

Werder fans didn't celebrate long. Just minutes after Stage's goal, HSV equalized. Glatzel sprinted past Karim Coulibaly, who went down, but no foul was called, and the striker hammered the ball into the top left corner to pull level. It was just Glatzel's second goal of the season.

Despite Werder dominating possession and creating good chances, the sides headed into the break level at 1-1.

Jens Stage wasn't done yet. In the 57th minute, Puertas slid the ball over to Stage outside the box. The Danish midfielder curled his shot into the top right corner from distance to score his second of the game and restore Werder Bremen's lead. It was his third goal of the season against HSV.

The game took a massive turn in the 79th minute. Philip Otele took a bad touch and, while trying to regain possession, came down hard on Puertas' leg. After a VAR check, Otele, who had been on the field for just over ten minutes, was sent off.

Six minutes later, there was another red card. Bakery Jatta, who, like Otele, had been on the field for little more than ten minutes, dived in to tackle Marco Grüll, aggressively taking down the Werder attacker. Jatta was immediately given a red, but this time, it was overturned after a VAR check, with Jatta receiving just a yellow.

Puertas effectively clinched the win in the first of twelve minutes of added time. A poor pass by Heuer Fernandes was recovered by Werder. Romano Schmid then backheeled to Puertas, who tucked the ball past Heuer Fernandes to secure the three points.

Tensions continued to run high, with staff members from both HSV and Werder Bremen being sent off in a sideline scuffle following Puertas' goal.

Schmid had one last chance to pad the score in the dying minutes, but Heuer Fernandes made a solid save to deny the Austrian. Werder held on for the 3-1 win.

Werder Bremen have passed Borussia Mönchengladbach and now sit 14th in the Bundesliga, five points clear of St. Pauli. Daniel Thioune's side visit VfB Stuttgart next weekend.

HSV are 13th, ahead of Werder on goal difference. They return home to face off with TSG Hoffenheim next Saturday.