Marko Arnautovic scored his first two competitive goals for Werder Bremen as the hosts rebounded from a dismal first round performance to earn a 4-2 victory over Koeln. A brace from Arnautovic, plus goals from Torsten Frings and Hugo Almeida rounded off the scoring for Bremen, while Lukas Podolski and Kevin McKenna netted for the visitors. Werder’s success had its price though as Claudio Pizarro was forced to make an early exit with an apparent muscular injury.

Arnautovic had a pair of chances early in the game before Marko Marin skipped past Petit and earned a penalty. Torsten Frings converted the resulting spot kick, and Arnautovic doubled the hosts’ advantage shortly thereafter, heading in an overhead cross from Pizarro. Against the run of play, Koeln striker Lukas Podolski nodded in a goal, sending the visitors into the half-time break with a hope to overturn their deficit.

Podolski’s effort would prove to be not nearly enough for Koeln as Bremen controlled the game for much of the second half and added a third goal through substitute Hugo Almeida, who had an easy tap-in after Arnautovic brilliantly made space to cross from the right flank.

Podolski blasted a fine volley late in the game, but sure-handed goalkeeper Tim Wiese managed to tip the ball around his post. Arnautovic punctuated the victory with a superb finish on the break, and Kevin McKenna helped a Martin Lanig header cross the line seconds before the final whistle.

The result leaves Koeln without a single point after two games, while Werder take their first three points of the season, and move into a three-way tie for eighth place.