Sabitzer’s stoppage-time free kick sends Dortmund past Werder

A late winner after the comeback

Borussia Dortmund advanced to the DFB-Pokal round of 16 with a 3–2 home win over Werder Bremen on Tuesday, October 27. The second-round tie at Signal Iduna Park looked comfortable for Dortmund at halftime, but Werder drew level after the break before Marcel Sabitzer settled it in stoppage time. ^{[1] [2]}

Dortmund made the early pressure count. Julian Ryerson set up Serhou Guirassy for the opener in the sixth minute, and Carney Chukwuemeka added a second in the 17th after Jobe Bellingham’s headed layoff. The DFB’s match report says Dortmund had another effort ruled out for offside in between those goals and reached the interval with a deserved two-goal lead. ^[1]

Füllkrug changes the game

Dortmund had chances to restore its cushion after the interval. The DFB report notes that Chukwuemeka missed a clear opportunity in the 56th minute, shortly before the momentum swung. Werder’s double strike turned a match that had been leaning toward the home side into a tense finish, and the visitors then threatened again on the counter before Sabitzer’s set piece. ^[1]

Werder’s response came through substitute Niclas Füllkrug. He converted a penalty in the 65th minute after a foul by Ryerson, then scored again four minutes later to make it 2–2. The DFB report describes Bremen as gaining momentum after the equalizer; Mitchell Weiser came close to putting the visitors ahead when his attempt narrowly missed in the 75th minute. ^[1]

Dortmund avoided extra time with one final set piece. In the third minute of added time, Sabitzer struck a free kick from the left side of the penalty area into the net for the winner. The DFB and dpa reports both record the 3–2 score and Sabitzer’s late goal. The result puts Dortmund through; Werder’s cup run ends in the second round. ^{[1] [2]}

Why the match drew attention

The contest paired two Bundesliga clubs who had already met in league play this season. Their October 9 league match also featured a Werder comeback: Bremen recovered from two goals down to draw 2–2, with Füllkrug scoring late. Tuesday’s cup tie echoed that pattern, but Dortmund found a decisive answer at the end. The DFB’s account lists an attendance of 81,365 at Signal Iduna Park. ^{[3] [1]}

The immediate consequence is a place in the round of 16 for Dortmund. The broader storyline is a reversal of the October league meeting: Werder again came back from a two-goal deficit, and Füllkrug again scored twice, but this time a late Sabitzer free kick prevented the draw from standing. These are the match facts behind the sharp rise in searches for Dortmund and Werder on Tuesday night. ^{[1] [3]}

For Dortmund, the win also comes ahead of a demanding league fixture: dpa reported that the club is due to visit Bayern Munich on Saturday. The cup tie therefore delivers progression while extending a busy week for Niko Kovač’s side. ^[2]