Sportfreunde Lotte vs Werder Bremen II

Werder took control from the opening exchanges. Goalkeeper Jonas Horsch launched a long ball forward in the seventh minute, and Wiehe latched onto it to slot home the opener. Ten minutes later, the striker doubled the lead — again finishing clinically to put the U23 side 2-0 up inside the first quarter of the game.

Sportfreunde Lotte found a foothold after the interval. Can Akbas reduced the deficit in the 50th minute with a deflected shot that wrong-footed Horsch. The goal gave the hosts momentum, but Werder's defence held firm. Mario Mbassi came closest to restoring the two-goal cushion when he fired narrowly wide in the 60th minute.

Wiehe's second goal in the 17th minute proved decisive. By establishing a two-goal lead before the half-hour mark, Werder could manage the game on their terms and absorb Lotte's second-half pressure after Akbas pulled one back. The early double meant Lotte faced an uphill climb from which they never fully recovered.

Jakob Wiehe (Werder Bremen II) — The striker scored both Werder goals, taking his chances with composure in the first half. His movement off the shoulder of the defence caused problems throughout.

Jonas Horsch (Werder Bremen II) — The goalkeeper's long ball created the opening goal, and he made several routine saves to keep Werder ahead after Lotte's second-half fightback.

Can Akbas (Sportfreunde Lotte) — The forward scored Lotte's only goal with a deflected shot and provided a spark that briefly threatened a comeback.

Werder's 2-0 half-time lead reflected their clinical edge in the opening exchanges. Lotte's response after the break — culminating in Akbas's 50th-minute strike — showed resilience, but the hosts could not fashion a clear-cut equaliser. The pattern echoed the statistical likelihood: pre-match models gave Werder Bremen II a 35.5% chance of winning, with the 1-2 scoreline predicted at 7.7% probability.

For Werder Bremen II, this was the fifth and final pre-season friendly before the Regionalliga Nord campaign begins. The 2-1 win provided a confidence boost after a 5-0 defeat to BFC Preussen in the previous test. Coach Cedric Makiadi returned to the touchline after recovering from a knee injury that kept him away from the squad during pre-season training.

"We are a new unit and still need to work on our finer points," Makiadi told the club's website. "It was important today that we returned to the basics. That's why we pulled the game to our side and were able to celebrate an important win for us."

Werder Bremen II open their Regionalliga Nord season at home against VfB Oldenburg on Friday, 31 July 2026.

Sportfreunde Lotte continue their own preparations for the Regionalliga West season, which also kicks off in early August.

A composed pre-season performance from Werder Bremen II, who did the damage early and managed the game professionally after Lotte's second-half response. Wiehe's double was the difference, and Makiadi's return added a timely boost ahead of the competitive opener against Oldenburg.