Sargent strikes as Bremen pulls away from drop zone
Josh Sargent scored for a third straight Bundesliga game as Werder Bremen warmed up for Bayern Munich with a 2-0 win at Arminia Bielefeld on Thursday (AEDT).
The result keeps Bremen 12th, but they moved 11 points clear of the relegation play-off spot, occupied by Bielefeld, before hosting Bundesliga leader Bayern on Sunday (AEDT).
"That was a step in the right direction," said midfielder Maximilian Eggestein, who set up Bremen's second goal.
Sargent, 21, put Bremen ahead two minutes after the break in Bielefeld when he guided Milot Rashica's cross over the goalline.
He had also netted the winner in a victory over Eintracht Frankfurt and scored in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Cologne.
With 19 minutes left, Bielefeld replacement defender Nathan de Medina was sent off for fouling Bremen striker Niclas Fuellkrug.
VAR changed the yellow card initially shown to the Belgian to a red after reviewing the tackle which crunched into Fuellkrug's Achilles tendon.
Bremen took advantage of their numerical advantage when Eggestein cut the ball back from the byline for Kevin Moehwald to score, four minutes after the sending off.
The defeat leaves Bielefeld 16th and two points from guaranteed safety, but with a one-point lead over the bottom two.
Heavy snowfall in Bielefeld meant the match was originally postponed earlier this month.
-AFP
