Finally after four years Werder Bremen have won a game at a training camp in Belek! The Green-Whites beat Dutch top club AZ Alkmaar 2-1 Wednesday afternoon 11 January 2011. After falling behind...
Finally after four years Werder Bremen have won a game at a training camp in Belek! The Green-Whites beat Dutch top club AZ Alkmaar 2-1 Wednesday afternoon 11 January 2011. After falling behind...
Finally after four years Werder Bremen have won a game at a training camp in Belek! The Green-Whites beat Dutch top club AZ Alkmaar 2-1 Wednesday afternoon 11 January 2011. After falling behind 1-0 on Elm's goal in the 40th minute, Werder turned the game around and equalized the game in the 45th minute through Mehmet Ekici and Sebastian Prödl gave Werder the winning goal after 49 minutes. Werder's last victory on the Turkish Riviera dates back nearly exactly four years ago when Markus Rosenberg scored two goals in Bremen's 2-0 win over Freiburg.
Improvisation was called for just a few hours before the start of the match as heavy rain hit the Antalya coast overnight, resulting in a non-playable pitch at the WOW Sport Center in Kundu. The Werder group remained in Belek and played the game against Alkmaar on the training grounds 10 minutes from their hotel.
The Green-Whites' starting line-up changed in just two positions compared to the first test of 2012 against Belgian record champions RSC Anderlecht with Sebastian Mielitz starting for Tim Wiese in goal and Marko Arnautovic in attack for Markus Rosenberg. The beginning of the game was dominated by the teams' respect for each other. Alkmaar went ahead in the 40th minute on a penalty by Rasmus Elm following a questionable decision. Shortly after the goal, Bremen's Philipp Bargfrede had to leave the match with a pelvic bruise as Felix Kroos entered the game.
Just as all on hand thought AZ would head into the break with a 1-0 lead, Ekici scored the equalizer. Claudio Pizarro turned in from the right side and had his shot blocked by Esteban but Ekici was there to bounce on the rebound to make it 1-1.
While SVW did not make any substitutions at half-time, the Dutch swapped out their entire team. After just four minutes later the Alkmaar defence was unorganized on a Schmitz corner and Sebastian Prödl headed in what would be the winning goal to make it 2-1.
