Hoffenheim secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Werder Bremen at the PreZero Arena, with Bazoumana Touré's first-half strike proving decisive in a match shaped by early adversity for the visitors.
1899 Hoffenheim claimed three crucial points against struggling Werder Bremen on May 9, maintaining their push toward European qualification. The hosts entered the match sixth in the Bundesliga table with 58 points from 32 games. Bremen, meanwhile, occupied 15th place with just 32 points and needed a result to ease their relegation concerns.
The match turned dramatically in the opening minutes. Werder Bremen's Yasuki Sugawara received a red card in the fifth minute, leaving the visitors with a mountain to climb. Hoffenheim wasted little time capitalizing on their numerical advantage.
Bazoumana Touré broke the deadlock in the 26th minute, firing past Bremen goalkeeper Mio Backhaus. The goal gave Hoffenheim a commanding position against ten-man opposition. Touré's finish came from a promising attacking move that exploited Bremen's depleted defensive resources.
Bremen fought hard despite their disadvantage. Olivier Deman tested Hoffenheim's goalkeeper with a shot on target, but the hosts' defense held firm. The visitors managed just two shots on target throughout the match, reflecting their defensive struggles.
At halftime, Hoffenheim led 1-0 with a clear path to victory. Their dominance in possession was evident—they controlled the ball for 72 percent of the first half. Bremen needed to reorganize and find a way back into the contest despite their numerical deficit.
The second half saw Hoffenheim manage the game effectively. Bernardo received a yellow card in the 66th minute as tensions rose. Bremen pressed forward searching for an equalizer but lacked the cutting edge to trouble Hoffenheim consistently.
Hoffenheim's defense proved resilient throughout. Vladimír Coufal and Albian Hajdari both earned ratings of 8.3, anchoring a solid defensive performance. The home side's goalkeeper made just two saves, reflecting Bremen's limited attacking threat.
In the 88th minute, frustrations boiled over as both Dion Thioune and Jens Njinmah received yellow cards for Bremen. The visitors finished the match with one red card and two yellow cards. Hoffenheim's discipline was better, recording only one caution all evening.
The statistics painted a clear picture of Hoffenheim's control. The hosts registered 15 total shots compared to Bremen's 11. Hoffenheim's expected goals stood at 1.41 versus Bremen's 1.08, showing the quality of chances created by each team.
Hoffenheim's passing accuracy reached 87 percent with 592 accurate passes from 677 attempts. Bremen managed just 65 percent accuracy with 171 successful passes from 264 attempts. The possession battle was equally one-sided, with Hoffenheim dominating 72 to 28 percent.
This victory moved Hoffenheim closer to securing European football for next season. Bremen's loss deepened their struggle against relegation, leaving them in a precarious position with limited games remaining. The red card proved costly for the visitors, fundamentally altering the match's trajectory from the opening stages.
