A successful end to the season | OneFootball

Werder ended the 2024/25 Bundesliga season with a win in Heidenheim (Photo: WERDER.DE).

Match report following 4-1 win at 1. FC Heidenheim

SV Werder Bremen ended the 2024/25 Bundesliga season in style, winning 4-1 away at 1. FC Heidenheim on Saturday afternoon. Romano Schmid's penalty (14') gave the Green-Whites the lead, before Jens Stage doubled their advantage in the 33rd minute. Marvin Ducksch then added a third after the break (66'), with Heidenheim's Luca Kerber getting one back for his side late on (80'). Keke Topp then came off the bench to score Werder's fourth (86'), ensuring they took all three points back home to Bremen.

Line-up and formation: Head coach Ole Werner made just one change to his side following the 0-0 draw against RB Leipzig. Oliver Burke was unable to feature due to an injury and was replaced by Marco Grüll.

Starting line-up: Zetterer - Stark, Pieper, Stage, Ducksch, Weiser, Lynen, Grüll, Schmid, Agu, Friedl.

Bench: Backhaus - Jung, Silva, Bittencourt, Njinmah, Köhn, Malatini, Alvero, Topp.

Schmid and Stage put Werder ahead

Romano Schmid put SVW ahead from the spot (Photo: WERDER.DE).

First-half highlights:

2nd minute: Stage curls a shot just past the right post after receiving the ball at the top of the box. A solid start from our boys!

14th minute: Schmid opens the scoring from the spot! The referee didn't hesitate before awarding the Green-Whites a penalty, after Gimber brought Grüll to ground just inside the box. Schmid sends Müller the wrong way, burying a confident penalty in the back of the net.

33rd minute: Ducksch delivers his corner across the face of goal where it's met by Stage. His header sails past Müller to double our advantage!

42nd minute: Michael Zetterer has been in fine form today, with the goalkeeper making two strong saves in quick succession to preserve our advantage.

45th minute: So close to a third! Marvin Ducksch receives the ball back after initiating a one-two on the edge of the box. The striker lets loose a shot from a tight angle but Müller manages to parry his effort away.

Ducksch and Topp seal the win

Weiser and Ducksch linked up for Werder's third goal (Photo: WERDER.DE).

Second-half highlights:

47th minute: Heidenheim go close early on! Zetterer takes a heavy touch on the edge of the box, allowing Marvin Pieringer to win possession. He lays it off for Paul Wanner, but his effort sails over the bar.

48th minute: Another close call, as Leo Scienza takes aim from outside outside the area. Fortunately for the Green-Whites, his shot only hits the post.

51st minute: Zetterer comes up big once again. Scienza steps up to take a free kick on the edge of the area and looks to place it in at the top corner, but our shot-stopper is able to claw it away from danger.

62nd minute: Weiser picks out Agu inside the box. The winger cuts the ball back to Ducksch, but his shot is blocked at the last second by Patrick Mainka.

66th minute: 3-0 Werder! Heidenheim surround the referee to voice their discontent, as the ball had hit the referee's arm following a pass from Lynen. Since possession had returned to Werder, the referee allows play to continue. Weiser then drives the ball forward via the right wing before laying it off for Ducksch, who curls his effort into the top corner!

74th minute: Weiser delivers another cross from the right wing that Justin Njinmah looks to run onto. Howeve,r, his effort goes over the bar.

80th minute: Scienza's corner is headed in by Kerber, as Heidenheim get a goal back.

86th minute: Njinmah's cross into the box is met by Keke Topp, who dekes around Siersleben before placing the ball into the back of the net – the striker had only come off the bench a minute earlier!

90th minute +2: Full time. SV Werder end the Bundesliga season with a 4-1 win in Heidenheim!

Summary: Werder deservedly take all three points off Heidenheim, earning their first win in the Bundesliga against FCH in the process (at the fourth attempt). Two clinical finishes had the Green-Whites looking comfortable at half-time, before they managed to put the game to bed with two more goals after the break. With the win, Werder have ended the 2024/25 Bundesliga season in eighth place with 51 points.

Match statistics

1. FC Heidenheim: Müller - Mainka, Gimber (46' Zivzivadze), Siersleben - Traoré, Dorsch (46' Niehues), Schöppner (46' Kerber), Honsak (78' Föhrenbach) - Pieringer, Beck (46' Scienza), Wanner

SV Werder Bremen: Zetterer - Agu (72' Köhn), Pieper (85' Jung), Friedl, Stark, Weiser - Schmid, Lynen, Stage (72' Bittencourt) - Ducksch (85' Topp), Grüll (72' Njinmah)

Goals: 0-1 Schmid (14'), 0-2 Stage (33'), 0-3 Ducksch (66'), 1-3 Kerber (80'), 1-4 Topp (86')

Referee: Tobias Welz

Spectators: 15,000