Borussia Dortmund 3–0 Werder Bremen: Bundesliga Match Report & Highlights

On: January 14, 2026 6:33 AM

Borussia Dortmund 3–0 Werder Bremen: Bundesliga Match Report & Highlights

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Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen – Match Summary

Borussia Dortmund cruised to a comfortable 3–0 victory over Werder Bremen at Signal Iduna Park, solidifying their second place in the Bundesliga standings. Nico Schlotterbeck set the tone early with a towering header, but Dortmund had to wait until the final 15 minutes to seal the points. Substitutes proved decisive for Niko Kovač’s side, with Marcel Sabitzer firing home a long-range effort and Serhou Guirassy marking his return to form with a clinical finish. Werder Bremen had their moments, particularly through Justin Njinmah, but found Gregor Kobel in impenetrable form.

Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen – Final Score

Borussia Dortmund 3–0 Werder Bremen

(HT: 1–0)

Goals:

11’ — Nico Schlotterbeck (DOR)
76’ — Marcel Sabitzer (DOR)
83’ — Serhou Guirassy (DOR)

Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen – Timeline & Events

11’ — ⚽ GOAL! Dortmund strike first! Julian Ryerson whips in a perfect corner, and Nico Schlotterbeck rises highest to power a bullet header past Mio Backhaus. (1–0)
18’ — 🧤 SAVE: A huge moment. Justin Njinmah breaks through for Bremen and rips a shot goalwards, but Gregor Kobel produces an amazing diving save to keep Dortmund ahead.
46’ — 🔄 Sub: Niko Kovač makes a tactical switch at halftime, bringing on Emre Can for the booked Niklas Süle to shore up the defense.
76’ — ⚽ GOAL! Breathing space at last. Felix Nmecha lays the ball off to Marcel Sabitzer on the edge of the box, and the Austrian drills a low shot into the bottom corner. (2–0)
83’ — ⚽ GOAL! Game over. A defensive mix-up from Bremen allows substitute Jobe Bellingham to set up Serhou Guirassy, who coolly rolls the ball into the net. (3–0)

First Half Analysis

Dortmund started aggressively, using the width provided by Julian Ryerson and Yan Couto. Their dominance on set-pieces was rewarded early with Schlotterbeck’s opener. However, Werder Bremen responded well, pressing high and creating arguably the best chance from open play, which Njinmah failed to convert thanks to Kobel’s brilliance. The half ended with Dortmund in control of possession (48-52 split) but the game remained precariously poised at 1–0.

Second Half Analysis

The second half saw Dortmund manage the game professionally. The introduction of Emre Can added steel to the midfield, frustrating Bremen’s attempts to play through the lines. As the visitors tired, gaps appeared. Marcel Sabitzer’s goal in the 76th minute broke Bremen’s resistance, and Serhou Guirassy’s late strike added gloss to the scoreline. The final whistle confirmed a vital three points for Dortmund, keeping them in the title hunt.

xG Reality Check: Dortmund 2.16 | Werder Bremen 0.38

Analysis: The scoreline was a fair reflection of Dortmund’s dominance in high-quality chances. While possession was fairly even, Dortmund created 2.16 xG compared to Bremen’s meager 0.38. Bremen’s inability to create “Big Chances” (only 1) was their undoing.

Key Match Factors

Kobel’s Early Save: Gregor Kobel’s save against Njinmah at 1–0 prevented the momentum from swinging to Bremen.
Set-Piece Efficiency: Schlotterbeck’s goal from a corner forced Bremen to chase the game early.
Impact Subs: Guirassy (Goal, 7.9 rating) and Bellingham (Assist, 7.3 rating) came off the bench to kill the game.
Defensive Solidity: Dortmund’s back line, led by Schlotterbeck and Anton, limited Bremen to just 0.38 xG.

Player of the Match

🏆 Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund)

Despite playing only 23 minutes, he was lethal. He scored the third goal, looked dangerous every time he touched the ball, and earned the highest rating of the match. (Rating: 7.9)

Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen – Player Ratings

Dortmund	Rating	W. Bremen	Rating
Kobel	7.5	Backhaus	6.0
Couto	7.0	Pieper	6.0
Anton	7.0	Friedl	6.5
Schlotterbeck	7.5	Coulibaly	6.0
Ryerson	7.5	Sugawara	6.5
Sabitzer	7.5	Stage	6.5
Nmecha	7.0	Lynen	6.0
Beier	6.5	Grüll	6.0
Chukwuemeka	6.5	Schmidt	6.0
Silva	6.5	Njinmah	6.5
Guirassy (Sub)	7.9	Schmid	6.0
Bellingham (Sub)	7.3

Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen – Match Stats

Stat	Dortmund	W. Bremen
Expected Goals (xG)	2.16	0.38
Possession	46%	54%
Total Shots	18	6
Shots on Target	8	3
Big Chances	3	1
Corners	3	3
Passes (Accuracy)	390 (85%)	465 (84%)
Fouls	14	8
Yellow Cards	2	0
Goalkeeper Saves	3	4

Top 5 Performers

Serhou Guirassy (DOR): The super-sub who put the game to bed.
Nico Schlotterbeck (DOR): Opened the scoring and was a rock at the back.
Marcel Sabitzer (DOR): Scored the crucial second goal and controlled the midfield tempo.
Gregor Kobel (DOR): Made key saves when the game was tight at 1–0.
Julian Ryerson (DOR): Provided the assist for the opener and was a constant threat on the flank.

Underperformers / Weak Links

Romano Schmid (SVW): Struggled to impact the game creatively and was subbed off late.
Marco Grüll (SVW): Had little service and failed to test the Dortmund defense before being replaced.

Substitutions Impact

Serhou Guirassy (DOR): Replaced Beier (67′) – Rating: 7.9. Scored a goal.
Jobe Bellingham (DOR): Replaced Chukwuemeka (67′) – Rating: 7.3. Provided an assist.
Emre Can (DOR): Replaced Süle (46′) – Rating: 6.8. Stabilized the defense and avoided a second yellow for Süle.

Tactical Breakdown

Dortmund:
- Direct Transition: Despite having less possession (46%), they were more direct, registering 18 shots to Bremen’s 6.
- Midfield Engine: Nmecha and Sabitzer dominated the physical battles, winning 39 duels as a team.
Werder Bremen:
- Sterile Possession: Held 54% of the ball but lacked penetration in the final third (only 0.38 xG).
- High Line Risk: Caught out twice late on as they pushed for an equalizer, conceding two goals in transition.

What This Result Means

Borussia Dortmund: Climb to 2nd place with 36 points. They are firmly establishing themselves as the main challengers for the title.
Werder Bremen: Remain in 12th place with 17 points, looking nervously over their shoulder at the relegation zone.