RB Leipzig successfully maintained their flawless home record on Matchday 11, defeating Werder Bremen 2-0 at the Red Bull Arena. The crucial goals came courtesy of Assan Ouédraogo and Xaver Schlager, securing a crucial victory for coach Ole Werner against his former club.
Werner’s side hosted an in-form Bremen squad. While Leipzig had been perfect at home this season (winning all four prior fixtures), Bremen arrived on a strong run, unbeaten in their last five outings.
Werner made two strategic changes, recalling Castello Lukeba and handing Conrad Harder his first Bundesliga start. The match held sentimental value for goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi, who celebrated his 350th competitive appearance for RBL by keeping a clean sheet.
Leipzig dominated the opening exchanges. Ridle Baku and Ouédraogo immediately tested Bremen goalkeeper Mio Backhaus, who was sharp early on. RBL`s best chance arrived in the 26th minute when Baku inexplicably missed the target from close range following good work by Christoph Baumgartner.
Werner`s men continued to press, with Ouédraogo proving particularly lively, testing Backhaus twice with low drives from outside the box. Bremen struggled to offer a significant attacking threat, though Senne Lynen managed an early shot that went wide.
As halftime approached, Backhaus proved his worth again, producing a spectacular fingertip save to push Baumgartner`s deflected shot wide of the post, ensuring the teams entered the break locked at 0-0.
Bremen emerged from the interval with renewed purpose, immediately creating danger when Marco Friedl`s low cross narrowly missed Keke Topp at the far post. The visitors’ clearest opportunity came in the 59th minute when Jens Stage broke clear on a counter-attack, but a magnificent, last-ditch tackle by Yan Diomande prevented the threat.
Diomande’s intervention proved critical. Just four minutes later, Leipzig finally broke the deadlock. Baku found Ouédraogo, who shifted the ball onto his left foot before unleashing an unstoppable, long-range missile that flew into the top corner (64`).
Bremen struggled to recover from that stunning goal. Despite a triple substitution designed to shift momentum, Leipzig cemented the victory in the 80th minute when substitute Xaver Schlager reacted quickest to turn home from close range after Baumgartner`s initial header wasn`t properly cleared.
The young German midfielder was the standout performer of the match, demonstrating why he is highly regarded as one of the Bundesliga`s brightest talents. Ouédraogo was a constant offensive force, registering five shots before his spectacular breakthrough goal changed the trajectory of the game.
Beyond his decisive strike, he showcased composure under pressure, consistently escaping tight situations and creating opportunities for his teammates. His withdrawal in stoppage time was met with a well-deserved standing ovation from the Red Bull Arena faithful—a fitting tribute to a match-winning performance that garnered him 323 Fantasy points.
| Statistic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Expected Goals (xGoals) | RB Leipzig 2.18 – Werder Bremen 1.29 |
| Fastest Player | Justin Njinmah (Bremen), 35.33 km/h |
| Lowest Goal Probability (Scored) | 1-0 by Assan Ouédraogo (Leipzig), 3 percent |
| Most Pressed Player | Yan Diomande (Leipzig), 35 times under pressure |
| Fantasy Heroes | Mio Backhaus (Bremen, 328 pts), Assan Ouédraogo (Leipzig, 323 pts), Christoph Baumgartner (Leipzig, 287 pts) |
Rupert Fawcett
