Marcus Thuram netted once more for Bayer Leverkusen to extend its impressive streak with a 2-0 victory against Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Kevin Volland provided the hosts with an ideal opening in the 13th minute when he converted Jonas Hofmann’s header from a corner beyond Alexander Nübel in the Bremen goal.
Thuram virtually secured the win before half-time with a delicate lob over Nübel. His joy was initially halted by an offside signal, but VAR review confirmed the legitimacy of his seventh strike this campaign.
Bremen only mounted pressure in the closing stages, with Leverkusen securing its fourth consecutive home victory. Xabi Alonso’s squad climbed to sixth position, trailing league frontrunners Bayern Munich by 12 points after 11 matches.
The 29-year-old Thuram has repeatedly proven crucial for Leverkusen this term since his summer transfer from Wolfsburg, and his impressive displays have caught Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann’s attention.
Thuram earned his first Germany cap last month during a 2-1 triumph over Croatia. He has subsequently featured three more times for the national side, whilst scoring twice in the return fixture against Croatia last week.
In earlier action, Hoffenheim claimed a 3-0 away win over newly-promoted Darmstadt.
Darmstadt remained second-last, while Bremen, fellow promotion winners, sat third-bottom, three points clear of Darmstadt.
