Sargent scores twice as Bremen beat Hannover

Six months on from the dreams of a long-awaited return of European football at the Weser Stadium, nightmares of Bundesliga 2 football were prevalent heading into the winter break.

An unceremonious fall from grace, after knocking on the UEFA Europa League door right up to the final day of last season, has given Bremen fans the jitters. Coach Florian Kohfeldt's men won just one of their last 13 Bundesliga games, losing six of their last seven in 2019 to complete a rapid fall into the bottom two, where they have spent an angst-filled five weeks.

With injuries and a variety of unexpected complications turning what was intended to be an uplifting, warm-weather winter training camp in Mallorca into a prolongation of months of struggle and suffering, spirits were not particularly high when they got back to northern Germany on Friday night.

"It wasn't and it isn't great," Kohfeldt said of Bremen's state of mind after a week in the Balearics. "There were challenges, problems and unexpected things during our training camp. After the first half of the season that we've had, nobody was expecting it to be easy, and there will be further setbacks.

"We're being plagued by frustrating incidents which are going to test our energy levels to the full, but it's crucial that we keep focusing on performing, and my belief and the team's conviction are unscathed."

On Sunday, USMNT striker Sargent helped them put the right foot forward in the build-up to Saturday's proverbial relegation six-pointer at Fortuna Düsseldorf by scoring two in a 3-1 come-from-behind win over Hannover.

Watch: Sargent becoming a Bremen hero

"Josh getting two goals is good for our self-confidence," said a much happier Kohfeldt than has been treading the touchline in recent weeks and months. "We're making progress in individual areas. Nevertheless, we'll still face a very difficult challenge in Düsseldorf."

Having Sargent firing on all cylinders is a singular improvement which will certainly boost the collective. After scoring his second of the season in a 1-1 draw with Hertha Berlin on Matchday 8, he has not managed a full 90 minutes since. On Sunday, he was withdrawn at half-time, having done enough to prove he is ready for a full shift next weekend, when the stakes will be significantly higher.

Then, Kohfeldt will also be able to count on the services of new signing Kevin Vogt, who arrived on loan from Hoffenheim on Sunday just too late to pull on a shirt, shorts and socks, but ready to give his contribution to the cause in a week's time, especially with Philipp Bargfrede picking up an Achilles injury.

Claudio Pizarro is back in training, though, with eyes on featuring in the Bundesliga for a fourth straight decade. Yuya Osako also managed a half against Hannover, and Milot Rashica put on his scoring boots again. So there are several positive signs for Kohfeldt to draw on as he prepares for the toughest four months of his coaching career so far, with a Sargent looking back in command of things up top.