Werder Bremen saw off Lüneburger SK Hansa 3-0 in the Round of 64 of the German Cup at the Jahn-Stadion on Friday evening. The visitors took control early and never looked back, with goals from Jens Stage, Niklas Füllkrug and Ludovit Reis. And here's the thing about cup football — these matches have their own rhythm, different from league football.
Jens Stage opened the scoring in the eleventh minute, giving Werder the advantage they would build on. By then, Hansa had already begun to settle into a defensive shape, but the visitors' intensity told. Niklas Füllkrug picked up a yellow card just before half-time, thirty-four minutes into the first period.
The second half brought the penalty. Füllkrug converted in the fifty-third minute, putting Werder 2-0 up. There was a substitution storm around the hour mark — Werder brought on S. Mbangula and S. Lynen at the break, while Hansa responded with changes of their own. To be fair, the home side stretched when they needed to, but Werder's back line held firm.
Ludovit Reis added a third in the seventy-sixth minute, and the game was effectively over. Werder's substitutions were well-timed; they took their chances and then saw the game out. J. Stage was brought off in the eighty-fourth minute after a solid performance.
The statistics paint a clear picture. Werder dominated with 72 per cent possession and created six big chances, converting them into three goals. Their expected goals figure of 2.76 reflects the quality of opportunities. Hansa managed only 0.05 xG and failed to test the goalkeeper once.
That scoreline leaves Werder progressing to the next round, while Lüneburger SK Hansa's cup run comes to an end. The difference between the sides was never in doubt after the first goal.