Silas at the double in Bremen

Werder Bremen 1-2 VfB Stuttgart
Goal: 0-1 Silas (pen. 31'), 0-2 Silas (90'+1), 1-2 Selke (90'+3)

Josh Sargent was back for Bremen after missing last weekend's 5-3 defeat to Wolfsburg. The USA international was the architect of the game's first real opening with a bulldozing run and pass, but Yuya Osako could not find the target from the edge of the area. Despite doing all the running, Werder fell behind in the 31st minute. Manchester United loanee Tahith Chong upended Wataru Endo in the penalty box, leaving Silas to do the honours from 12 yards. Leonardo Bittencourt sent a 30-yard free-kick over as Bremen went in at the break behind for the second week in a row.

Stuttgart's Borna Sosa rippled the outside of the net from distance soon after the restart, though Werder continued to enjoy the lion's share of possession, albeit without creating any meaningful chances. Nick Woltemade and Davie Selke entered the fray for the hosts with an hour gone, with Woltemade collecting from Osako and testing Gregor Kobel with 20 minutes remaining. Stuttgart substitute Philipp Förstner forced Jiri Pavlenka into a smart reaction save, before Silas doubled his tally in added time having latched on to Ömer Toprak's attempted chest back to Pavlenka. Davie Selke headed in a consolation as Stuttgart held on to move three points above Werder, and to within two of the European places.

• Stuttgart are unbeaten away from home this season, taking 11 points from a possible 15. Only champions Bayern Munich have fared better on their travels (12 points).
• Silas scored his first brace as a Stuttgart player. He's on five goals in 10 appearances this term.
• Werder conceded their first Bundesliga penalty since since 14 September 2019. It was Stuttgart's third successfully converted penalty of the season, but Silas' first in the Bundesliga.
• Selke's two Bundesliga goals in 2020/21 have been headers.
• Werder have scored in 12 successive Bundesliga matches, but not more than once at home this season.
• Bremen duo Romano Schmid and Patrick Erras made their Bundesliga debuts.

Watch: Matarazzo: "We're scoring because we're very courageous"

Bremen: Pavlenka - Gebre Selassie (c), Toprak, Friedl - Chong, Eggestein, Groß (Erras 87'), Augustinsson - Sargent (Woltemade 60'), Bittencourt (Selke 60') - Osako (Schmid 80')
Unused subs: Kapino, Agu, Moisander, Rieckmann, Gruev
Out: Füllkrug (calf), Mbom (suspended), Möhwald (suspended), Rashica (thigh), Veljkovic (groin)
Coach: Florian Kohfeldt

Stuttgart: Kobel - Mavropanos (Stenzel 46'), Anton, Kempf - Coulibaly (Massimo 73'), Mangala, Endo, Sosa - Silas (Churlinov 90'+1), Castro (c) (Förster 59') - Kalajdzic (Klement 59')
Unused subs: Bredlow, Egloff, Klimowicz, Kaminski
Out: Al Ghaddioui (pelvis), Cisse (groin), Didavi (hip), Gonzalez (knee), Karazor (knee), Thommy (elbow)
Coach: Pellegrino Matarazzo