Werder Bremen battle back to draw with Paderborn

Thomas Starke/Bongarts/Getty Images

---

Paderborn wasted an opportunity to move out of the Bundesliga relegation zone after throwing away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home with Werder Bremen.

Mario Vrancic and Moritz Stoppelkamp grabbed two goals in as many minutes to put the East Westphalians in front, but Davie Selke brought Bremen back into the game on the stroke of half-time.

Izet Hajrovic levelled in the 75th minute while Paderborn were reduced to 10 men three minutes later when Michael Heinloth was sent off, compounding their woes and leaving them inside the relegation zone.

It took the game a bit of time to get going, but it burst into life shortly after Bremen saw a goal disallowed for a foul with Paderborn netting two goals in as many minutes.

The first came from Vrancic (25), who volleyed spectacularly into the top right-hand corner from a cross from the right, leaving Koen Casteels no chance.

The second followed straight after and from the same side with a cross from Suleyman Koc headed in at the far post by Stoppelkamp.

It was very nearly three just a minute later when Koc burst down the right again and cut inside, but his shot missed the far post by inches.

Bremen did not quite know what had hit them, but they summoned the strength to respond, crucially, on the stroke of half-time.

Selke was in the right place to use his height and strength to beat his marker and head in a goal which set the stage for a second half in which everything was still to play for.

Bremen understandably emerged with more belief than they would have done without that goal and they set about trying to find an equaliser, although when they did find the back of the net in the 73rd minute, a foul on the goalkeeper meant they saw their second goal of the afternoon cancelled out.

It was just a prelude to their equaliser which, like Paderborn's opener, was the result of a corner which arrived at Hajrovic and his low shot from 20 yards out nestled in the bottom right-hand corner, just beyond the reach of Lukas Kruse.

Bremen had the wind between their sails and a second yellow card for Heinloth gave them 12 minutes to make the most of an extra man and try to take all three points.

The best chance was spurned by Koc, though, who after a mazy run past four Bremen players placed his shot wide of the right-hand post.