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BERLIN (AP) — Werder Bremen routed Stuttgart 6-2 to leave the Bundesliga relegation zone at the visitors' expense in the German league'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, who attempted heading Sambou Yatabare's cross clear but only lifted the ball over his goalkeeper, 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 Yatabare.
Stuttgart suffered another blow before the break when Didavi went off injured.
But Barba scored at the correct end early in the second half to give the visitors' hope.
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.
"We were really focused on this game because it was so important for us," Pizarro said.
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.
"We gave the goals away much too easily. It's inexplicable," Stuttgart midfielder Daniel Schwaab said. "We still have two games where we can get six points. We'll put everything into them."
Darmstadt (35 points), Hoffenheim and Augsburg (both 37), and Hamburger SV (38) are still not safe. Hannover is already relegated.
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