First half goals from Lukiyma, Di Santo and Gebre Selassie was enough to give Bremen the three points, but they struggled to withhold heavy Augsburg pressure in the second half

Clemens Fritz right-footed rocket forced Manninger to parry wide.

After fifteen minutes the deadlock was broken. Centre back Assani Lukiyma headed Zlatko Junuzovic’s free kick in, his bullet header flew into the top corner.

Five minutes later, Augsburg levelled. Ragnar Klavan headed into the bottom corner from Raul Bobadilla’s delivery.

Just moments later, a penalty was awarded to Werder Bremen. Klavan quickly turned to the foe as he fouls Davie Selke, Franco Di Santo stepped up and sent Manninger the wrong way with a cooly placed penalty.

Werder had a chance to make it 3-1, Santiago Garcia’s header from Junuzovic’s set piece went high of the mark, he was in a tight angle and couldn’t quite direct it goalwards.

Powerhouse Raul Bobadilla right footed shot from range was high and wide, Augsburg were pushing for the all important third goal of the game with just twelve minutes of the half remaining.

Goalscorer Lukimya nearly made it three for the host, Fin Bartels delivery was volleyed goalwards by centre back but Manninger brilliantly saved to keep Augsburg’s chances alive.

Daniel Baier’s had another chance for Augsburg to level but he couldn’t quite divert his shot from outside the box goalwards.

Wonderkid Davie Selke had a brilliant chance but he couldn’t quite keep his effort down and it flew way wide of the mark.

On half time, the all important third goal finally came and it was the hosts who got it. Gebre Selassie met Junuzovic’s  cross, his header found the bottom corner to send the Bremen fans happy at half time getting their half time pie.

Zlatko Junuzovic nearly crowned his new contract with a goal but the bar stood in the way of his left footed strike, two minutes after the restart. Then a few minutes later, Manninger was called into action as Fin Bartels tested the veteran with a right-footed strike from close range.

Tobias Werner then came close, two minutes later. Wolf brilliantly kept out his attempt.

Another chance for Fin Bartels, Di Santo floated it to Bartels but he could only hit his shot over the bar from a tight angle. After sixty-two minutes, Junuzovic had another bite of the cherry but again his strike was wayward.

Augsburg pushed on to get a goal back in the game, Ji’s header trickled along to box but it was still in play, Altintop found Caiuby but his shot was blocked, he then had another chance on goal, this time he was picked out by Ji but his chance went agonizingly wide, Bremen hanging onto their lead by a thread. The thread finally snapped with twelve minutes remaining, Jan-Ingwer Callsen-Bracker’s corner was poorly punched by Wolf, it fell to Tobias Werner who’s half volley fired into the net, to make it 2-3 and make it a nervy ending for the home side.

Junuzovic was denied by the post again with just eight minutes to go, his free kick evading everyone in the box, Manninger beaten all ends up but the post was there to save Augsburg.

Tobias Werder thought he bagged the equaliser after eighty four minutes but his header went devastatingly wide, aruguably their bast chance to steal a point against an in-form Bremen.

In the dying minutes of normal time, Junuzovic had another chance, and again he was denied, tame effort, straight at Manninger.

Werder held on to win in a brilliant game. They march on remaining top of the form table. Schripnik’s side’s resurgence continuing as they stayed eighth level on points with Hoffenheim.

High-flying Augsburg fall to fifth in the Bundesliga after Gladbach’s last gasp winner, in the Rhine-Derby. 

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