Late equaliser denies Werder all three points against Heidenheim | OneFootball

Grüll scored his fourth and fifth goals of the season against Heidenheim (Photo: nordphoto).

Match report following 3-3 draw

SV Werder Bremen ended the first half of the season with a 3-3 draw against 1. FC Heidenheim. Despite taking the lead three times, the Green-Whites were unable to get their second home with of the season. The 39,350 spectators at the Weserstadion witnessed an entertaining affair against FCH, with Marco Grüll (1', 79') and Marvin Ducksch (56') on target for the hosts. Heidenheim were able to equalise three times, as Jan Schöppner (30'), Luca Kerber (60') and Leonardo Scienza (90'+5) got on the scoresheet for the visitors.

Line-up and formation: Captain Marco Friedl was suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season, as Milos Veljkovic came in to replace him. It was the only change to head coach Ole Werner's line-up following last weekend's defeat in Leipzig.

Starting line-up: Zetterer - Jung, Stark, Stage, Ducksch, Weiser, Veljkovic, Lynen, Grüll, Köhn and Schmid.

Bench: Backhaus - Pieper, Bittencourt, Njinmah, Burke, Malatini, Alvero, Kaboré and Covic.

Early opener before Heidenheim strike back

Heidenheim had to do plenty of defending on Wednesday night (Photo: nordphoto).

First-half highlights:

1st minute: What a start! Werder take the lead after just 50 seconds. The Green-Whites were able to get the ball into the box, where Heidenheim were unable to clear it. It eventually falls to Grüll, who takes aim and watches as his shot is deflected in by Busch.

11th minute: So close! Nach dem zweiten Ball eines Freistoßes aus dem Halbfeld nimmt Stage das Leder im Strafraum freistehend herunter und legt ab für Ducksch. Müller lenkt den wuchtigen Abschluss von Werders Nummer 7 mit dem Fuß noch an den Querbalken.

30th minute: Heidenheim equalise. Krätzig wins possession on the wing after taking the ball off Veljkovic. Wanner's initial attempt is saved by Zetterer, before the rebound is buried by Schöppner.

40th minute: The visitors go close again. Krätzig plays a pass to the penalty spot, but its deflected back to Pieringer, who has time and space to get off a shot. His effort goes inches wide of the left post.

42nd minute: Schmid does well to break down the wing and deliver a cross into the box. Weiser rises highest to meet it, but sends his header just wide of the post.

Kerber cancels out Ducksch's goal

Marco Grüll bagged a brace for the Green-Whites (Photo: WERDER.DE).

Second-half highlights:

56th minute: We lead again! Müller looks to get in front of a cross from Weiser, inadvertently diverting to Ducksch in the middle of the box. Our number 7 is able to tap in our second of the night from close range.

58th minute: Mainka is able to send a header into the six-yard box following a set piece, but his attempt fails to find a teammate in front of goal and sails past the far post.

61st minute: Level again. Zivzivadze cuts the ball back from the goal line, as Kerber is able to get on the end and slot it in at the far post.

79th minute: Werder take the lead for the third time! This time, it's Stage who sets up Grüll. The striker finds himself through on goal and nutmegs Müller to make it 3-2.

90th minute +5: Unbelievable. Heidenheim manage to rescue a point with the last kick of the game. Referee Jöllenbeck awards the visitors a controversial free kick on the edge of the box, which Scienza places into the top corner.

90th minute +6: Full time. We're held to a point at home.

Summary: SV Werder were only able to maintain the momentum from their early opener for a short while, before the visitors managed to grab an equaliser. The two sides continued to create chances for themselves as an entertaining first half ended in a deserved stalemate. After the break, Werder managed to take the lead twice more, but were pegged back each time by Heidenheim. A controversial free kick deep into injury time ended up allowing the visitors to rescue a point at the death.

Match stats

SV Werder: Zetterer - Veljkovic, Stark , Jung - Weiser, Lynen (75' Bittencourt), Köhn (75' Kaboré) - Stage, Schmid (90'+1 Alvero) - Grüll (83' Njinmah), Ducksch (75' Burke)

1. FC Heidenheim: Müller - Traoré, Mainka, Gimber, Busch - Schöppner, Dorsch (9' Kerber (83' Beck) - Wanner (76' Conteh), Krätzig (76' Scienza) - Pieringer, Zivzivadze

Goals: 1-0 Grüll (1'), 1-1 Schöppner (30'), 2-1 Ducksch (56'), 2-2 Kerber (61'), 3-2 Grüll (79'), 3-3 Scienza (90'+5).

Referee: Dr. Matthias Jöllenbeck

Spectators: 39,350