F. Zwayer
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Full-time
End of second half
90'
+ 2
BIG CHANCE FOR BEERMANN
The defender heads goalward from a corner, but it bounces just inches wide of the Bremen goal.
90'
+ 2
ADDED TIME
We're now into four minutes of added time in Bremen.
90'
+ 1
SARGENT OFF THE LINE!
Müller loses the ball in the Heidenheim box and Rashica finds Bittencourt, whose shot bobbles to Sargent who clips it goalward only for a Heidenheim defender to clear it off the line.
87'
MOISANDER SENT OFF
The Bremen captain is shown a second yellow card for a foul on Griesbeck.
84'
BARTELS FORCES A SAVE
The substitute registers the first shot on target of the game as his low effort from the edge of the box bounces safely into Müller's hands.
84'
Substitution
83'
Substitution
82'
BREMEN PUSHING ON
The home side beginning to force their way forward now as we enter the final 10 minutes of the game. Heidenheim with their backs against the wall.
79'
OSAKO HEADS WIDE
Great work from Bittencourt down the right as he reaches the byline before clipping a cross to the near post which Osako meets. His header goes wide at the near post, though.
77'
Substitution
75'
BEERMANN BOOKED
The Heidenheim defender is the second player booked for the away side for a foul on Rashica on the edge of his own box.
75'
NOT FAR AWAY
Schnatterer plays in a teasing cross from the left and Beerman is up from the back trying to get on the end of it but he just can't stretch to reach it.
71'
BITTENCOURT BOOKED
The substitute is cautioned for a rash foul in midfield on Griesbeck.
70'
INTO THE FINAL 20...
We're still without a shot on target for either side in this game with just 20 minutes to play. As it stands, it will be advantage Heidenheim heading into the second leg - at least in a mental capacity.
69'
MORE CHANGES
Schnatterer and Otto are on for Multhaup and Thomalla for the away side. Fresh legs in midfield and attack.
69'
Substitution
69'
Substitution
65'
TRIPLE CHANGE
Bremen bring on Bartels, Bittencourt and Groß for Füllkrug, Klaassen and Bargfrede.
65'
Substitution
65'
Substitution
65'
Substitution
60'
HEAVY RAIN AGAIN
The rain is back now and it is pouring in Bremen. Felix Zwayer has had a conversation with the fourth official about the weather, with loud thunder being heard in the distance.
59'
SESSA OFF INJURED
The impressive teenager comes off with a knock, being replaced by Kerschbaumer.
59'
Substitution
57'
PATIENCE PROVING KEY
Still over 70 per cent of possession here for Bremen with the home side in almost total control of the ball. But very little of it is pushing forward, which is Bremen's only concern. Kohfeldt will want his side to take a lead into Monday's second leg.
52'
SHOTS BLOCKED
Osako controls a pass from the right in the Heidenheim box and turns onto his left to shoot, but his effort is blocked. It rolls out to the edge of Eggestein who smashes it goalward, but the ball hits Füllkrug this time and the Bremen striker is in an offside position.
51'
FINDING THEIR WAY
So far Rashica and Osako have been Bremen's best bets over getting through the Heidenheim's wall of defence. The home side may have more of the ball, but Heidenheim aren't allowing them to do anything with it easily.
46'
WE'RE BACK!
The second half is underway in Bremen with no changes to either side during the break.
Kick-off!
Half-time
45'
+ 1
ADDED TIME
We're into one minute of added time at the end of the first half.
39'
SESSA SHOT BLOCKED
Klaassen loses out in midfield to superb work from Sessa who then charges on and shoots at goal from 20 yards, and a deflection takes his shot wide. This Heidenheim side are giving everything in the first half to try and open the scoring. Pressing hard and constantly without the ball.
35'
MULTHAUP CAUTIONED
The winger is the first Heidenheim man in the book after a late challenge on Osako.
34'
OSAKO IN THE BOOK
The second Bremen player to be cautioned, Osako with a nasty foul on Dorsch in midfield.
32'
GOOD CHANCE FOR MULTHAUP
The winger is played into the Bremen box down the right, running towards the near post and has time to pick his spot with a shot at goal. But he slices his effort wide in the rain, and holds his hands to his head in disappointment.
32'
WEATHER HAS TAKEN A TURN
The rain is beginning to pour down in northern Germany just to add another layer to this tense match.
25'
KLEINDIENST HAS A GO!
The former Freiburg forward is played into the Bremen half and he runs at Velkjovic before moving the ball onto his left foot and smashing a powerful shot at goal. Pavlenka looks awkward as he has to move quickly to make a good save with the ball moving in the air.
22'
KEEPING THINGS COMPACT
Bremen finally get their first shot on goal of the game after 22 minutes, and a deflection takes it wide from Bargfrede's effort. Heidenheim are staying incredibly compact in their formation and the home side have found it near-impossible to get in behind the away side's backline so far.
17'
MOISANDER BOOKED
The Bremen captain is cautioned for a foul on Sessa in midfield.
14'
A 4-1-3-2 FORMATION
So far, we can see Heidenheim lining up in a 4-1-3-2 formation. Sebastian Griesbeck is in holding midfield, Maurice Multhaup, Kevin Sessa and Niklas Dorsch supporting the two strikers across midfield.
11'
NOT FAR AWAY
Sessa is onto a loose ball and smashes a half-volley towards goal, but it bounces just wide. Big night for him. The 19-year-old has made just two appearances this season and this is his first start, previously only playing for five and 10 minutes respectively in his substitute appearances.
10'
BREMEN ON THE BALL
The home side have had over 70 per cent of the possession so far in this game, but Heidenheim are pressing high and making life difficult for the Bundesliga outfit when they do look to push it forward.
6'
GRIESBECK HEADS WIDE
The Heidenheim captain heads wide from a corner with the away side's first attempt on goal. Denis Thomalla, meanwhile, is pushing on to support Tim Kleindienst in attack in what is certainly a two-man attack for the away side. Check out our average line-ups from both sides as the game goes on...
3'
MAKING EARLY MOVES
The home side have had the best of the early possession here, with Osako winning a corner in the opening couple of minutes. This time the dead-ball situation is cleared.
1'
HERE WE GO!
The ball is rolling in Bremen for the first leg of the relegation play-off...
Kick-off!
SCHMIDT: "WE NEED A RESULT ON THE ROAD"
Frank Schmidt sat down with bundesliga.com to discuss the relegation play-off tie. "We know what we can deliver at home, but first things first, we're playing away in Bremen. That means we need to first do things better than we did in our last performance. We've got to make the game as open for as long as possible, because Bremen know that if we score, or if we can perhaps exploit Bremen's attacking formation and score after quickly winning the ball, then Bremen will have something to lose in the second leg. We've got to be prepared for that and focussed on that, and of course, we're betting on that happening."
BREMEN TEAM NEWS
Florian Kohfeldt makes just one change from his side which got that 6-1 win over Cologne on the final day last weekend. Philipp Bargfrede comes in for the suspended Kevin Vogt and will start in holding midfield.
HEIDENHEIM TEAM NEWS
Schmidt has made three changes from his side which suffered a 3-0 defeat on the final day at the hands of Bundesliga 2 champions Arminia Bielefeld. Multhaup, Sessa and Theuerkauf come in for Föhrenbach, Kerschbaumer and Otto. We will have to see who starts at left-back for Heidenheim with Theuerkauf usually a centre-back.
HEIDENHEIM'S NEARLY MOMENT VS. BAYERN
Heidenheim, who have never played in the Bundesliga, very nearly caused an upset in the DFB Cup quarter-finals last season. At one point they were leading Bayern 2-1, and even clawed back a two-goal deficit to make it 4-4, before ultimately losing 5-4 late on.
FRANK SCHMIDT'S JOURNEY
Heidenheim's Schmidt is the longest-serving head coach in Germany's top two divisions, having taken charge of the side in September 2007. Born and raised in the town, Schmidt is looking to take his boyhood club to the Bundesliga for the first time in the club's history.
HOME COMFORTS FOR BREMEN?
After the worst season in the club's history, Bremen ended the regular season in style last weekend. After scoring just nine times in their first 16 home games of the season, Werder hit six in one go at the weekend to beat Cologne and secure their relegation play-off place. Meanwhile, Heidenheim have won only four games away from home this season in the Bundesliga 2.
WELCOME TO THE RELEGATION PLAY-OFF!
The Bundesliga’s play-off differs from more conventional fixtures referred to as play-offs that often feature four teams contesting a semi-final and a final. In Germany, the teams who finish 16th in the Bundesliga (Werder Bremen) and third in Bundesliga 2 (Heidenheim) contest the relegation play-off. The first leg is played at the home of the Bundesliga side and the second leg is played at the home of the Bundesliga 2 side. The winner over two legs claims Bundesliga status in the season that follows.
BREMEN STARTING XI!
Pavlenka - Gebre Selassie, Veljkovic, Moisander (c) Friedl - M. Eggestein, Bargfrede, Klaassen - Osako, Füllkrug, Rashica
BREMEN SUBS
Kapino, Augusinsson, Toprak, Bittencourt, Bartels, Groß, Selke, Pizarro, Sargent
HEIDENHEIM STARTING XI!
Müller - Busch, Mainka, Theuerkauf, Beerman - Griesbeck (c), Dorsch - Multhaup, Sessa, Thomalla - Kleindienst
HEIDENHEIM SUBS
Eicher, Hüsing, Föhrenbach, Schnatterer, Mohr, Kerschbaumer, Schimmer, Leipertz, Otto
LINE-UPS COMING UP!
The official line-ups from both sides will be with us shortly so keep your eyes peeled for when they drop...