FULL TIME: WERDER BREMEN 0-0 BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH.
A last chance for Bremen comes to nothing, as Elvedi gets back to prevent Bartels weaving his way into the area.
90' +1
We’re into three minutes of stoppage time.
88'
Chances at both ends. First, Pavlenka makes a superb stop to keep out a long-range effort, though Plea was then penalised for handball in the build up. Moments later, Ginter has to win a last-ditch header to deny Bremen at the other end.
86'
F. Bartels enters the game and replaces M. Rashica.
Rashica’s race is run. He has been replaced by Bartels.
85'
That’s disappointing from Rashica, who has shown glimpses of quality today but has just found his end product lacking. This time, he has several team-mates to pick out in the area, but his looping cross is taken in with ease by Sommer.
83'
It has been a solid display from Bremen, especially in the second half, yet they are running low on time if they are to get a reward for their efforts.
82'
L. Bénes enters the game and replaces C. Kramer.
P. Herrmann enters the game and replaces M. Thuram.
Herrmann is on for Gladbach, replacing Thuram.
Benes has also come on for the visitors, with Kramer making way.
81'
What is Sommer doing? He makes another dreadful error, this time shanking a clearance straight to Rashica, who tries to pick out Bittencourt. The substitute just can’t get on it, though, and Sommer is let off the hook again.
74'
D. Selke enters the game and replaces J. Sargent.
That missed opportunity is Sargent’s final involvement. He is being replaced by Selke.
71'
J. Hofmann enters the game and replaces L. Stindl.
R. Bensebaïni enters the game and replaces T. Jantschke.
There will be a double change for Gladbach. First, Stindl – who has struggled to get involved today – makes way for Hofmann.
The second switch sees Jantschke make way for Bensebaini, suggesting a switch in shape.
Minute
Description
66'
Neuhaus delivers the free-kick, but despite having plenty of players to aim for, he fails to keep his cross down, and simply hits it straight out for a goal-kick.
65'
Thuram is certainly coming into the game more now, as Bremen try and push more players into attack. Plea, too, has been living off scraps, but is starting to become more involved, with the former Nice forward having just won a free-kick on the edge of the hosts’ area.
62'
L. Bittencourt enters the game and replaces Y. Osako.
A first change from Bremen. Bittencourt, the match winner against Freiburg, is on in place of Osako.
58'
An appeal for a penalty by Bremen is turned down after Eggestein went over in the area. However, Klaassen is on hand to latch onto the loose ball and get a shot off, which soars over. It seems to take a deflection, but the referee awards a goal-kick.
56'
More work for Sommer, as he gets down to his right to prevent Rashica’s long-range effort finding its way into the bottom corner. Bremen are definitely the team on top at the moment.
55'
Bremen have certainly started the second half with more intensity than they finished the first, though they are still struggling to create much from open play, and it seems a set-piece will be their best bet of opening up Gladbach.
48'
Jantschke becomes the first Gladbach player to receive a card, having fouled Sargent to prevent a counter-attack.
47'
T. Jantschke gets yellow.
No changes for either side at the break, and it is Gladbach who are straight on the attack, with Klaassen deflecting a shot from Stindl out for a corner.
Lainer does well to drive into the penalty area and create enough space for a cross, trying to pick out Thuram at the back post, but Veljkovic gets to it first.
41'
M. Veljković gets yellow.
Another booking for Bremen. This time it is Veljkovic who is penalised for pulling on Thuram's shirt.
39'
Neuhaus has been the pick of the bunch for Gladbach so far, with his runs forward from deep causing real issues for Bremen’s defence. However, he needs more help from his team-mates if the visitors are going to carve a way through.
35'
Excellent defensive work from Plea, who tracks back to ensure Eggestein cannot latch onto a long, floated ball and have a clear run at goal.
34'
T. Gebre Selassie gets yellow.
Selassie has gone into the book for a foul on Thuram.
31'
Gladbach coach Marco Rose will be frustrated with his side’s display so far. Despite a bright start, they haven’t offered enough quality in the final third and Bremen are seeing plenty of the ball at the moment, albeit without offering much threat.
28'
This has been something of a scrappy contest so far, and while that suits Bremen, Gladbach have been unable to get their talented forwards involved enough. A half-decent move sees Neuhaus released on the edge of the area, but his strike goes high and wide of the left-hand upright.
24'
Excellent work from Klaassen in the heart of midfield, as he shrugs off Neuhaus in order to prevent a Gladbach counter. The resulting Bremen attack sees Rashica cut in from the left and let rip, but his strike lacks the power to trouble Sommer.
21'
While Gladbach started well, Bremen have had more control in the last 10 minutes, and are playing it out from the back with some confidence. Once they get into the final third, however, they are struggling to keep their momentum going.
19'
Klaassen is furious after he is bundled into from behind just outside Gladbach’s area, yet no foul is awarded. The away side attempt to break, yet another sloppy pass gives Thuram and Plea no chance of countering.
15'
Sloppy play from Jantschke, who gifts possession back to Bremen after the visitors had attempted to play their way out from the back. It seems Gladbach have been at their most dangerous when going from back to front swiftly, with the pace of Plea and Thuram giving their hosts plenty of problems.
11'
More work for Pavlenka, though this time it is easy. A hopeful cross was punted in from the left, with Thuram rising high to meet it. However, he failed to get any power on his header, providing Werder’s goalkeeper with a simple stop.
9'
Poor defending from Werder allows Thuram to get in a cross and Wendt to get on the end of it. His touch narrows the angle too much, however, meaning Pavlenka is able to make the save.
5'
The first chance of the match goes Gladbach’s way, as Wendt slides a cross into Stindl, who in turn lets it run for the onrushing Neuhaus. The midfielder gets a first-time shot off, but it is directed straight at Pavlenka, who duly holds on.
3'
An early attack from Bremen results in the home side winning a corner, which is whipped towards the near post. An attacker tries to get something on it, but can’t quite manage to turn it goalwards.
1'
KICK-OFF! We are up and running.
Hello and welcome to LIVE coverage of the Bundesliga, as relegation-battling Werder Bremen host Champions League hopefuls Borussia Monchengladbach.
With RB Leipzig not in action today, Gladbach could move into third place should they win and Bayer Leverkusen fail to get all three points against Wolfsburg.
Bremen, meanwhile, claimed a vital win over Freiburg last time out, to move themselves to within three points of Fortuna Dusseldorf – who currently occupy the relegation play-off position.
WERDER BREMEN SUBS: Michael Lang, Ludwig Augustinsson, Ilia Gruev, Stefanos Kapino, Sebastian Langkamp, Leonardo Bittencourt, Fin Bartels, Davie Selke, Nick Woltemade.
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH (3-4-3): Yann Sommer; Tony Jantschke, Matthias Ginter, Nico Elvedi; Stefan Lainer, Christoph Kramer, Florian Neuhaus, Oscar Wendt; Alassane Plea, Lars Stindl, Marcus Thuram.
The teams are out and we’re ready for kick-off…
WERDER BREMEN (4-3-3): Jiri Pavlenka; Theodor Gebre Selassie, Milos Veljkovic, Niklas Moisander, Marco Friedl; Maximilian Eggestein, Christian Gross, Davy Klaassen; Yuya Osako, Joshua Sargent, Milot Rashica.
Both coaches will know their sides have to offer much more quality in the second half if they are to claim the points from this one. The pressure is on for Bremen, but with Leverkusen also in action today, Gladbach will be desperate to keep up their push for the Champions League.
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH SUBS: Jonas Hofmann, Raffael, Patrick Hermann, Ibrahima Traore, Ramy Bensebaini, Tobias Sippel, Mamadou Doucoure, Laszlo Benes, Famana Quizera.
That’s all for now. Goodbye!
Bremen remain in the relegation zone, two points adrift of the play-off place. Gladbach, meanwhile, are up into fourth, as Bayer Leverkusen were hammered at home by Wolfsburg.
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