USA international John Brooks netted his second goal of the season for Wolfsburg, who were eventually pegged back to a 1-1 draw by Werder Bremen on Sunday.

Wolfsburg 1-1 Werder Bremen

Goals: 1-0 Brooks (54'), 1-1 Kruse (74')

With three wins and a draw from their four Bundesliga games preceding this one, Wolfsburg understandably began in confident fashion and soon dominated proceedings. However, while most of the action was concentrated in the visitors' half, they initially made little headway against a well-organised Bremen defence. Wout Weghorst did manage to put the ball in the net only to see it rightly ruled out for offside, but at the other end of the pitch Koen Casteels was largely a spectator for the first 45 minutes.

The Wolves got the breakthrough their dominance deserved early in the second half, though, when Maximilian Arnold whipped in a teasing free-kick from the right and the unmarked Brooks headed in the opener. That sparked Bremen into life and they eventually continued their remarkable record of scoring in every league game this term when Max Kruse volleyed in at the back post from Maximilian Eggestein's inviting cross. The visitors looked more likely to grab a winner in the closing stages as Wolfsburg seemed to tire, but there were no more goals, forcing the two European contenders to share the points.

John Brooks (r.) scored his second goal of the season as Wolfsburg shared the spoils with Werder Bremen on Sunday. - imago images / Nordphoto

Match stats

• Felix Klaus made his first Bundesliga start for Wolfsburg in this game following his summer arrival from Hannover.
• Brooks' goal was his second in the Bundesliga this season and eighth overall.
• Brooks' last five league goals have all been headers.
• Bremen have now scored in the first 24 matches of a Bundesliga season for the first time ever.
• Kruse moved level with Maximilian Eggestein as Bremen's leading scorer this term on five goals.
• Florian Kohfeldt's Bremen side are one of only two teams still undefeated in 2019 (alongside Eintracht Frankfurt).

Line-ups 

Wolfsburg: Casteels (Pervan 46') - William, Knoche, Brooks, Roussillon – Gerhardt, Guilavogui (c), Arnold – Klaus (Rexhbecaj 78'), Weghorst, Mehmedi
Unused subs: Verhaegh, Brekalo, Steffen, Malli, Uduokhai
Out: Azzaoui (knee), Camacho (ankle), Ginczek (ankle), Jung (muscular),
Coach: Bruno Labbadia

Bremen: Pavlenka – Gebre Selassie, Langkamp (Veljkovic 42'), Moisander, Augustinsson – M. Eggestein, Bargfrede (Möhwald 83'), Klaassen – J. Eggestein, Kruse (c), Rashica (Pizarro 68')
Unused subs: Kapino, Sahin, Sargent, Friedl
Out: Johannsson (ankle), Osako (groin), Harnik (muscular)
Coach: Florian Kohfeldt

Watch: Wolfsburg captain Josuha Guilavogui was in rueful mood after the Wolves dropped points in the hunt for the European places

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About the clubs

VfL Wolfsburg

Volkswagen Arena

SV Werder Bremen

Weser-Stadion