Karl Hein delivered a dream performance for Werder Bremen in the 2-2 draw at Borussia Dortmund. The Estonian goalkeeper made seven saves and was voted Man of the Match at the final whistle.

“I am happiest that I was able to come back healthy, did not have a serious injury, and could help the team today,” said the 24-year-old after the match. Hein had suffered a thigh bruise during the international break but recovered in time. His display on Friday night at Signal Iduna Park was his seventh competitive appearance for Werder.

How Hein secured the point

Hein impressed not only with his reflexes. A long goal kick started the move that led to Niclas Füllkrug’s late equaliser in the 90th minute. A quick throw to Chuki also launched a dangerous counter-attack. Football director Clemens Fritz praised the performance as “outstanding and absolute top class”. Fritz noted that Hein had already impressed in training and from the bench last season.

The point in Dortmund solidified Werder's position in the middle of the table. Ole Werner's side sits seventh with eight points after five matchdays. A look at the full standings shows the gap to the top is five points. Top scorer Niclas Füllkrug, who netted his fourth goal of the season, and his teammates can now look forward to the next match against 15th-placed SC Paderborn 07 on Saturday. The full schedule is available on our fixtures page.

Despite his outstanding display, Karl Hein does not see himself as the automatic first-choice goalkeeper. “The coaches decide who plays. I work hard to earn my place,” he emphasised. He spoke with great respect about his competitor Alex Schlager, the Austrian international. His work ethic and character were excellent, and their collaboration works perfectly.

“I am currently living my dream.” Hein said of his situation. The decision to stay in the summer was an easy one for him, having experienced the atmosphere from the bench in games like Dortmund last season. His Werder debut had come on the same fifth matchday last year against Bayern Munich, a 4-0 defeat. This time, at the same stage, he helped secure a valuable point.

Werder's next fixture is at home against newly-promoted SC Paderborn 07 on 17 October (15:30). A review of the current squad shows the personnel options available to coach Werner for this home game.

This story first appeared at weser-kurier.de