Brandt and Volland secure 2-0 victory for the Werkself

The Werkself have ended the poor run of results in the last few weeks with a first win in seven games. On matchday 27, Tayfun Korkut's team secured a deserved 2-0 win at SV Darmstadt 98. Julian Brandt put the Werkself on course for victory before Kevin Volland doubled the lead in the second half.
Korkut made four changes to the side that drew 3-3 with VfL Wolfsburg at the weekend; Tin Jedvaj, Kevin Kampl, Julian Brandt and Kai Havertz replaced Aleksandar Dragovic, Admir Mehmedi, Stefan Kießling (all on the bench) and the suspended Charles Aránguiz. The Bayer 04 coach has to continue to make do without Lars Bender (out for the rest of the season after an ankle operation), Chicharito (thigh) and Jonathan Tah (rehab training).
Brandt puts Bayer 04 ahead with third goal of the season
The Werkself made their intentions clear from the kick-off. The Korkut team showed commitment and courage as they sought to control proceedings and were duly rewarded for their efforts after 15 minutes: Following a counter-attack by Darmstadt, Brandt won the ball and launched a quick response. Via Julian Baumgartlinger and Karim Bellarabi the ball ended up with Kevin Volland who put a pass through the opposition defence for Brandt in the middle of the box. And the youngster skillfully converted the first clear opportunity for the Werkself to open the scoring.
Thorsten Frings' Darmstadt team were not discouraged by conceding the early goal. They showed great commitment and close the Werkself down whenever they could. The only other decent chance in the first half was a shot from a tight angle from Havertz that the Lilies regular keeper Michael Esser saved well.
Instead it was the hosts who created the chances. A Hamit Altintop free-kick from the left on 32 minutes went over the bar, Mario Vrancic’s effort from 18 yards out in a central position hit the crossbar (41'). Bayer 04 took a 1-0 lead into the break.
Volland doubles the lead
There was a contentious incident seven minutes after the restart: Darmstadt full back Fabian Holland kicked Volland’s foot away in the penalty area from behind. The Bayer 04 striker ended up on the deck but referee Benjamin Brand failed to award a spot-kick – an incorrect decision.
Volland rapidly wreaked his revenge: A whipped-in cross from Brandt beat two Darmstadt defenders and the former Hoffenheim man reacted immediately, span round and hammered the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-0 on 56 minutes – it was his fifth goal of the season in his 150th Bundesliga game.
Darmstadt keeper Esser prevents bigger defeat
The team at the bottom of the table initially looked undaunted by conceding a second goal and they succeeded in creating their own chances through substitutes Felix Platte (67’) and Jan Rosenthal (69’). Darmstadt succumbed to the Werkself pressure the longer the game went on. Volland (68’), Brandt (76’), Havertz (82’) and Wendell (90’) all missed the chance to score a third goal for Bayer 04 – not least because of four excellent saves by Esser.
And the game ended in a 2-0 victory for the Werkself to mark a win at long last and the first for the new coach Korkut in his fifth outing. The win takes Bayer 04 up to tenth place in the table.
Bayer 04 are back in action on Saturday afternoon (15.30 CET) in a league match away to second-placed RB Leipzig.
Match stats
Darmstadt 98: Esser – Fedetskyy, Bangaard, Sulu, Holland – Hamit Altintop, Gondorf – Sam (Guwara 27’), Vrancic (Rosenthal 55’), Heller – Boyd (Platte 65’)
Bayer 04: Leno – Hilbert, Jedvaj, Toprak, Wendell – Baumgartlinger, Kampl – Bellarabi (Kießling 75’), Brandt (Mehmedi 89’) – Havertz, Volland (Pohjanpalo 90’)
Goals: 0-1 Brandt (15’), 2-0 Volland (56’)
Booked: – / Jedvaj (second yellow card), Toprak (sixth)
Referee: Benjamin Brand (Bamberg)
Attendance: 16,300