Bundesliga
Werder Bremen secured a 1-0 home win against Union Berlin thanks to Marco Grüll's superb strike in the 72nd minute.
Werder Bremen 1-0 Union Berlin
Goal: 1-0 Grüll 72' (assist: Sugawara)
Bremen welcomed Union to the Weserstadion with both sides sitting comfortably in mid-table. The home team entered the fixture with renewed confidence after collecting four points from their previous two matches under new coach Horst Steffen.
Union, meanwhile, arrived in Bremen following a morale-boosting 3-1 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach. In a significant tactical decision, Victor Boniface made his first start of the season for Werder, while former Bremen players Derrick Köhn and Oliver Burke lined up for the visitors.
The opening period saw Union make the more convincing start despite Bremen enjoying greater possession. The visitors created the first meaningful opportunity when Andrej Ilić found space on the edge of the area but dragged his effort wide.
Union continued to look dangerous, with Burke forcing a smart save from Mio Backhaus after a driving run into the penalty area. The hosts gradually grew into the contest with Grüll testing Frederik Rønnow from distance.
An injury to Ilić forced an early substitution for Union in the 29th minute, with Tim Skarke entering the fray. The best chance of the half fell to Ilyas Ansah, whose powerful strike from the edge of the box whistled just past the post minutes before the interval.
Bremen emerged for the second half with renewed purpose and immediately sought to assert their dominance. Jens Stage came close with a headed effort following good work from Yukinari Sugawara on the right flank.
The home side continued to control proceedings but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against a resolute Union defence. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 72nd minute with a moment of individual brilliance. Sugawara fed the ball to Grüll on the right side of the penalty area, and he cut inside brilliantly before curling a sumptuous left-footed strike into the far corner beyond Rønnow's despairing dive.
The goal was briefly reviewed by VAR for a potential offside but was confirmed valid, sending the Weserstadion into raptures. Union responded by bringing on Wooyeong Jeong and Janik Haberer but failed to seriously trouble the Bremen defence in the closing stages. Despite seven minutes of added time, Bremen managed the game professionally to secure all three points.
Grüll delivered when it mattered most with a goal of exceptional quality to decide a tight contest. The Austrian winger registered five shots throughout the match – more than any other player – and consistently threatened the Union defence with his movement and direct running.
His winning strike showcased both technical excellence and composure, requiring remarkable precision with an xG value of just 0.0275. Beyond his goal, Grüll recorded the highest maximum speed of any player (34.4 km/h), highlighting his athletic capabilities.
His performance was crucial in helping Bremen secure consecutive positive results under new coach Horst Steffen and move above Union in the Bundesliga table.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Bremen 0.84 - Union Berlin 0.74
Fastest player: Marco Grüll (Bremen), 34.4 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-0 by Marco Grüll (Bremen), 2.75 percent
Most pressed player: Romano Schmid (Bremen), 22 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Marco Friedl (Bremen), +3.29
Fantasy Heroes: Yukinari Sugawara (Bremen, 253 Points), Marco Grüll (Bremen, 240 Points), Amos Pieper (Bremen, 229 Points)