Füllkrug rescues Bremen again, but Thioune rues another defensive collapse

Another comeback, but little celebration in Bremen

Werder Bremen’s 2-2 home draw with SC Paderborn 07 brought another two-goal recovery—and another reminder of the defensive problems behind the team’s recent run. The result extended Bremen’s unbeaten Bundesliga streak to five matches, but head coach Daniel Thioune said he was frustrated that his side had needed to fight back yet again.

Bremen had controlled much of the first half but went into the break trailing 2-0. Stefano Marino opened the scoring in the 18th minute, and Steffen Tigges added a second after what Thioune described as an avoidable defensive mistake. Niclas Füllkrug then struck twice in seven second-half minutes to bring the hosts level. Bremen pressed for a winner, but Paderborn goalkeeper Nahuel Noll made several important saves.

Thioune wants Bremen to stop needing a rescue

Thioune took particular issue with the build-up to Paderborn’s second goal. “Nobody on my team wanted the ball. Steffen Tigges wanted the ball and he scored the goal,” he said.

The same 2-2 scoreline had prompted very different emotions the previous weekend, when Bremen recovered from two goals down to draw with Borussia Dortmund through late goals from Ludovit Reis and Füllkrug. Before that, Bremen had overturned a 2-0 deficit to beat Augsburg 3-2, with Mitchell Weiser scoring the stoppage-time winner. The Paderborn draw marked the side’s third consecutive Bundesliga comeback from two goals behind.

“Last week in Dortmund we were celebrating [a 2-2 comeback draw]. This week, we’re not pleased [with the same scoreline],” Thioune said. He added that Bremen should not need to concede twice to make a contest of a match, calling the performance another “roller coaster.” Still, he said he could live with how the team had shown itself over recent weeks, despite his disappointment with the result.

Coach singles out Füllkrug’s impact

Thioune was more emphatic in his praise of Füllkrug, whose brace continued a prolific start after returning to Bremen from West Ham United. The striker has scored six goals in six Bundesliga appearances, according to the source report, and has found the net in five consecutive matches.

“Niclas has been doing an outstanding job for weeks,” Thioune said, highlighting not only Füllkrug’s performances but also his influence in training and the dressing room. “He always wants more in every training session. It’s incredibly impressive.”

“He deserves a lot of praise, even if he doesn’t want to hear of it,” the coach added. Thioune said Füllkrug remains quick to focus on chances he has missed, but believes the striker’s confidence and conviction are growing. Füllkrug, for his part, was left frustrated that Bremen had not taken all three points.

The goals have helped brighten Bremen’s outlook, but Thioune’s challenge is clear: turn the team’s resilience into victories without repeatedly giving opponents a two-goal head start.