Takeaways from an unbelievable Werder Bremen comeback versus Bayer Leverkusen | OneFootball

It may have only been the 2nd week of the Bundesliga season, but we could've already seen one of the campaigns wildest games.

Werder Bremen snatched a draw from the jaws of defeat on Saturday afternoon, tying Bayer Leverkusen 3-3 at the Weserstadion despite going down two goals and a man with 30 minutes to go.

The away side also started the contest with a 2-0 lead, capitalizing on some defensive mistakes and fortunate bounces in the box. Werder pulled one back via a Romano Schmid penalty before the break, but they gave up a penalty of their own when Niklas Stark brought down a man in the box. He was already on a yellow, so he was subsequently shown a second and sent off.

This is when many would’ve expected Bayer to coast to victory. Instead, they crumbled under any sort of pressure. No defender could make a pass, and they suddenly left spaces in behind.

Die Werderaner’s comeback began when Isaac Schmidt beat the goalkeeper to a long ball before passing it into the back of an empty net. They kept launching it up the field at the death, and with moments to go, 18-year-old center back Karim Coulibaly slotted home a rebound to send the home crowd into eruption.

It was a thrilling match, and there was a lot to unpack for Bremen following the final whistle.

Kids get their chance

Due to the club’s injury crisis, manager Horst Steffen gave starting spots to two different 18-year-olds. One was the aforementioned Coulibaly, and the other was midfielder Patrice Covic.

We already mentioned the former, who had the moment of magic at the end. It was a highlight he’ll likely carry with him for the rest of his life, and everyone at the club couldn’t be prouder.

However, the rest of Coulibaly’s performance was quite poor. You could tell he was nervous, and he made a number of errors on the ball, either passing it or in possession himself. His mistake led to the first goal, and he almost set up another.

There were still signs of his potential. Standing tall at 6’3”, he’s got a strong and lengthy build, which is ideal for this level. That power gives him a quick first step, and he can burst into areas to win challenges.

He’ll likely be back on the bench following the international break when others get healthy, but Coulibaly is now certainly one for the future.

Covic, on the other hand, is much further along in his development.

A tidy midfielder, he’s featured in all three of Werder’s games this campaign. Playing a bit deeper than he’s used to, the new role didn’t really phase him. Clever on the ball, he’s able to shift it up the field himself or to a teammate.

The German-Croat had a tough test in front of him, as Leverkusen packed in the midfield. He was overrun at times, and his diminutive frame makes it hard to maintain a real presence in midfield.

Still, he showed that he’s adaptable and reliable. Even if he eventually loses his starting spot, Covic will continue to make an impact in the team. He might be the next big thing at the Weserstadion.

A new leading man

While he’s not quite as young, 21-year-old Keke Topp made a huge impact on proceedings.

Coming in with only about 20 minutes to go, the striker had a major task ahead of him. He had to help his team find two goals, and he had to do it with one less teammate on the pitch. While he didn’t directly score either of the goals, he did create one while helping with the other.

Topp put in a showcase on how to be a strong center-forward. He held up the ball time and time again, creating angles and spaces for other Werder players to attack. His first-touch was automatic, and his decision-making was nearly as sharp.

That ability was what started the comeback. Posting up his marker in midfield, he spotted the run of Schmidt in-behind, turning and launching the ball forward. It was hit in the right spot, as it made the keeper come off his line while still keeping it out of his range. Schmidt did the rest.

The number 9 didn’t officially contribute to the tying goal, but he was a big body in the box when it mattered. Plenty of attention was on him, which allowed opportunities elsewhere.

It was a stellar cameo, and it should lead to a start next time around. That’s also due to the struggles of current striker Marco Grull. He’s been alright, but he’s not been clinical enough in the final third. That’s not completely his fault as he’s more of a winger or secondary-striker. However, it’d be better to have a proper forward up front instead.

Starting will bring a new challenge to Topp, but if he can step up, he could make himself the new Green-and-White frontman.

Established issues at the back

Oddly for Bremen, some of their worst performers were their mainstays.

Niklas Stark was put in a tough situation, having to slot in next to the 18-year-old Coulibaly. He had to cover for him, and make up for any of his mistakes. However, the experienced centerback had some problems of his own.

On the second goal, the German didn't get enough on his clearance. He kind of flicked his foot up into the air, which only played the ball into a dangerous area, and he couldn’t recover from there.

Stark was a step off the pace at times, and he gave away a free-kick in a dangerous area. That also led to a yellow card. This became an especially important moment later on.

With Leverkusen on a breakaway, the number 4 went for a challenge that he likely thought was do-or-die. Unfortunately upon further review, the forward didn’t have the best angle, and a shot could’ve been dealt with normally. Instead, Stark launched into a tackle and missed the ball. The referee had no choice, pointing to the spot and showing him a second yellow.

It was a brutal end to a rough afternoon, and the centerback will now miss his team’s next game as well.

On the left of the back four was Felix Agu. He’s known for his reliability, but that wasn’t on show this time around. He looked shaky, misplacing important passes in his own third and the final third. A few crosses went haywire.

This was terrible timing considering all of Bremen’s other issues defensively. Agu was supposed to be the one guy they could trust, and he made things even tougher. He will have to turn it around quickly, as he’s still seen as a starter and a key piece at fullback. Fortunately he’ll have the entire international break to do so.