This intriguing mid-table clash pitted a resurgent Werder side against a Wolfsburg team that has been free-falling down the German top-flight in recent weeks.
The hosts’ confidence was reflected in their bright start here, as Amos Pieper’s header forced Kamil Grabara into an early save from Romano Schmid’s enticing corner, before Marco Grull rifled his angled attempt over the bar.
But it was Die Wolfe who struck first at the end of a wonderfully crafted break, which served as a sucker-punch for Horst Steffen’s men.
Adam Daghim slipped in Sael Kumbedi down the right, and he provided the cut-back for Mattias Svanberg to clinically dispatch a close-range finish.
Christian Eriksen had an opportunity to add a second for the visitors, but the Dane’s effort was parried to safety by Mio Backhaus. Schmid looked to restore parity in first-half stoppage time and was not far away from doing so when his ferocious long-range drive just cleared the crossbar.
Schmid was Bremen’s key protagonist, and the Austrian drifted another corner into the path of Pieper to head over. But those Die Werderaner fans hoping for an onslaught on Wolfsburg’s goal would be left disappointed, with Paul Simonis’ side remaining largely resolute in their defensive shape.
Nonetheless, Grabara was called into action to deny Grüll, as Steffen’s side gradually increased the intensity of their attacking play.
A deserved Werder equaliser came in the 83rd minute courtesy of Jens Stage, who expertly headed home Yukinari Sugawara’s cross.
Grabara was enjoying a fine night in between the sticks and made an outstanding save to keep out Sugawara’s strike at his near post.
There was still time for the hosts to find a winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time, as Mbangula unleashed a stunning angled finish past Grabara to seal all three points.
The result marks Werder’s third successive top-flight home victory for the first time since April 2019, while Wolfsburg succumbed to a sixth league defeat of the season.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jens Stage (Werder Bremen)
