Bremen encounters another close call in their quest for the trophy against Bielefeld.
Werder Bremen Suffer Another DFB-Pokal Defeat at the Hands of Arminia Bielefeld
In a tense DFB-Pokal encounter, Arminia Bielefeld emerged victorious yet again over Bundesliga side Werder Bremen, winning 1-0 at the sold-out Bielefelder Alm. The match was marked by a series of dramatic events, including a red card for Bremen and a late winner by Bielefeld's Isiah Young in added time (90.+3 minutes).
The home team started the match strongly, with Benjamin Boakye crossing to the left for Young to score the decisive goal at the end of the game. However, Bremen faced a scare when Tim Handwerker had to leave the field due to thigh problems (20th minute).
The tide turned in the second half when Leonardo Bittencourt was shown a yellow-red card for fouls on Sam Schreck (52nd minute) and Marvin Mehlem (54th minute). Bremen played the majority of the half a man down, which put them under significant pressure.
In the 55th minute, Julian Kania attempted a long-range effort, but his shot sailed over the bar. Bittencourt's dismissal opened up opportunities for Bielefeld, and Zetterer, reportedly set to join Eintracht Frankfurt, had a relatively quiet game in terms of saves.
One of Bremen's best chances came early in the first half when Marco Grüll had a big chance, shooting just wide of the far post from a sharp angle after a pass from Justin Njinmah (14th minute). Grüll also had another opportunity later in the game, but his effort was saved by Zetterer (82nd minute).
Despite Bremen's efforts, Bielefeld held on to their lead, denying Bremen a chance to advance in the competition. This victory marks Bielefeld's third win against Werder in the DFB-Pokal, continuing their 100% win record against the Bundesliga side as of 2025, with two matches played.
It's important to note that this is not the first time Bielefeld has defeated a higher-ranked opponent in the DFB-Pokal. Last season, they knocked Bremen out of the competition while still in the third division. Across their broader head-to-head history, the two teams are roughly balanced, but in the cup, Arminia holds the advantage.
This loss for Bremen marks another disappointing exit from the DFB-Pokal, as their run in the competition ended in the round of 16 in 2015 at the Bielefelder Alm. Despite the setback, Bremen will look to regroup and focus on their Bundesliga campaign.
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European leagues witnessed another upset as Arminia Bielefeld defeated Bundesliga side Werder Bremen in the DFB-Pokals, with Isiah Young scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory. This triumph was their third over Werder in the competition, maintaining their 100% win record as of 2025.
Their success in football matches, particularly against higher-ranked opponents like Werder Bremen, demonstrates that Arminia Bielefeld should not be underestimated in European sports.
