Borussia Dortmund 3-2 Werder Bremen: Sabitzer Steps Up in Stoppage Time to Send Dortmund Through

Borussia Dortmund booked their place in the DFB-Pokal round of 16 after beating Werder Bremen 3-2, courtesy of a superb stoppage-time free kick from Marcel Sabitzer.

Werder Bremen came back from 2-0 down to draw level thanks to quickfire goals from former Dortmund striker Niclas Füllkrug after he came off the bench. But Sabitzer took centre stage in the 93rd minute and sent Niko Kovac's side through.

At Signal Iduna Park, where kick-off was delayed, Dortmund went ahead as early as the 6th minute through Serhou Guirassy. The Guinean striker finished from close range after Julian Ryerson set up the chance. In a match in which Maximilian Beier had a goal ruled out for offside, Carney Chukwuemeka doubled the lead in the 17th minute from a Jobe Bellingham pass.

The visitors were reborn in the second half. Six minutes after coming on, Füllkrug converted a penalty won when Mick Schmetgens was fouled, and three minutes later he nutmegged Waldemar Anton with style to make it 2-2.

In the closing stages of a breathless contest, Sabitzer stood over a free kick won just outside the edge of the box and found the net with a classy strike to hand Dortmund the win.

Füllkrug, who shone against his former club, reached 11 goals in all competitions this season and, having scored in seven consecutive matches, equalled Rudi Völler's (1982-1983) Werder Bremen record.

Sabitzer's winner was Borussia Dortmund's first goal scored directly from a free kick since November 2024. Although the loss of control after going 2-0 up will give Kovac food for thought, the black and yellows secured their passage on a dramatic night.