Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Werder Bremen thrashed Verden 04 6-2 in their pre-season opener, with Justin Njinmah and Jens Stage scoring braces before half-time at the Stadion am Berliner Ring.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
Werder needed only 17 minutes to break the deadlock. Verden goalkeeper Keno Rayk Rodel rushed out of his area and fouled Salim Musah, but the referee played advantage and Njinmah rolled the ball into an empty net.
Verden responded in style three minutes later. Papi Diop's cross found Jalte Rope, who produced a superb looping effort over Werder goalkeeper Michael Hein to make it 1-1 in the 20th minute — a moment that brought the home crowd to life.
The lead lasted only five minutes. Musah turned provider, setting up Jens Stage to restore Werder's advantage in the 25th minute. Njinmah grabbed his second from another Musah assist in the 31st minute, before Stage pounced from close range after a goalmouth scramble in the 35th minute to make it 4-1 at the break.
Thioune made nine substitutions at half-time, introducing the likes of new signings Chuki, Kenny Quetant, Darwin Soylu and Ramiz Hamouda. Paul Erevbenagie tapped in Soylu's cross at the far post in the 63rd minute to make it 5-1. Chuki hit the post with a free-kick from 20 metres in the 69th minute.
Quetant marked his Werder debut with a goal in the 83rd minute, volleying Marco Grüll's precise cross under the crossbar. Verden had the final word — Milan Berenschot converted a penalty in the 88th minute after Karim Coulibaly's foul in the box, rounding off the scoring at 6-2.
The turning point
Verden's equaliser in the 20th minute briefly threatened to make a contest of it, but Stage's immediate response five minutes later — restoring Werder's lead at 2-1 — deflated the hosts. From that moment, the gulf between the Oberliga and Bundesliga sides became insurmountable.
Key performers
Justin Njinmah was the standout, scoring twice in the first half (17', 31') and causing constant problems down the flanks. Jens Stage also bagged a brace (25', 35') with two well-taken finishes from midfield. Salim Musah provided two first-half assists and was involved in nearly every dangerous Werder attack before the break.
For Verden, Jalte Rope took his goal superbly to briefly level the scores, and Milan Berenschot converted the late penalty. Papi Diop also impressed with his assist for Rope's goal.
Player of the match: Justin Njinmah (Werder Bremen)
By the numbers
Werder scored four goals in a devastating 18-minute spell (17'–35') that effectively ended the contest by half-time at 4-1. The 6-2 scoreline reflects Werder's ruthless finishing rather than constant pressure — the second half was more measured as both sides made wholesale changes. Verden's 1.96 xG to Werder's 1.12 (per SofaScore) suggests the hosts created more than the final scoreline implies, particularly from set pieces and the late penalty.
What it means
This was Werder Bremen's first pre-season friendly of the summer as they build towards the 2026/27 Bundesliga campaign. They travel to their annual training camp in the Zillertal, Austria, on Monday, with two further friendlies scheduled: against Japanese J1 League side Fagiano Okayama on Wednesday (22 July, 17:30 BST) and Bundesliga rivals VfL Bochum on Saturday (25 July, 13:00 BST).
For Verden 04, this was their fifth pre-season fixture. They face TuS BW Lohne on 25 July in the Niedersachsenpokal qualification round.
Verdict
A routine early-summer workout for Werder Bremen, who did exactly what a Bundesliga side should against lower-league opposition. Njinmah and Stage looked sharp, and new signings Quetant and Chuki showed flashes of promise. The real tests begin against Fagiano Okayama and VfL Bochum later this week.
Match Events
Key match events between Verden 04 and Werder Bremen — 8 goals and 0 cards recorded during the match.
Penalty
Rivalry since 2024
Verden 04 vs Werder Bremen Head to Head Results· 2
Verden 04 and Werder Bremen have met 2 times — Verden 04 won 0, Werder Bremen won 2, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2024. Werder Bremen leads the head-to-head with 2 victories from 2 meetings. A combined 8 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 4.00 per match (0 for the home side, 8 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 0 matches (0%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 1 game (50%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 0–6 in 2025.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 19 Jul 2026