Werder Bremen routed VfB Stuttgart 6-2 to leave the relegation zone at the visitors’ expense in the Bundesliga’s first Monday night game for 16 years.
“It was a special occasion. If you were here today you could see that the whole city, the whole region was behind us,” Bremen captain Clemens Fritz said.
Bremen striker Claudio Pizarro played a great ball for Fin Bartels to open the scoring in the 10th minute, only for Daniel Didavi to equalize 16 minutes later.
An own-goal from Federico Barba put Bremen back in front in the 33rd.
Martin Harnik struck the post in response. Filip Kostic had already struck the crossbar for luckless Stuttgart.
Bremen substitute Leven Oztunali fired inside the far post to make it 3-1 in the 42nd, just minutes after coming on for the injured Sambou Yatabare.
Barba scored at the correct end early in the second half.
Pizarro settled Bremen’s nerves with his 14th goal of the season in the 64th minute, Oztunali set up Bartels in the 80th and Anthony Ujah completed the scoring in the 86th.
With two rounds remaining, Bremen climbed one point above Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt on 33 points in the relegation zone.
Frankfurt went above Stuttgart on goal difference into the relegation playoff place.
SV Darmstadt 98 (35 points), TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Augsburg (both 37), and Hamburg SV (38) are still not safe. Hannover 96 are already relegated.
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