Ducksch double salvages draw for Bremen at Gladbach

MÖNCHENGLADBACH, Germany -- — Two goals from Marvin Ducksch salvaged a draw for Werder Bremen against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Friday and punished Gladbach for wasteful shooting.

Gladbach was looking for a landmark 500th home win in Bundesliga history and on course after goals by Marcus Thuram and Florian Neuhaus. Ducksch twice leveled the score for an otherwise unthreatening Bremen team and could have won the game in stoppage time.

Gladbach dominated the first half but failed to score off a series of chances. Thuram gave Gladbach the lead in the 48th minute by surging through the defense and powering the ball past goalkeeper Michael Zetterer, a late replacement for ill first-choice keeper Jiri Pavlenka.

Thuram's misses ended up as important as his goal, though. The French striker had two good chances saved by Zetterer and once missed the target when trying an audacious lofted backheel finish. Teammate Jonas Hofmann had a shot blocked by a defender after it had already beaten the goalkeeper.

Ducksch got Bremen back into the game in the 65th when he timed a run between two defenders perfectly on the counter. His finish was made simpler when goalkeeper Jonas Omlin slipped.

Gladbach kept attacking and the persistence paid off when Neuhaus fired in a rebound after Zetterer saved from Hofmann.

Ducksch leveled the game in the 89th after combining well with Niclas Füllkrug in a one-two. He had a chance to complete his hat trick in added time but headed wide.

Gladbach and Bremen stay 10th and 11th respectively.

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