European Magic At The Weser Stadium: Werder 3 Real Madrid 2

First Team
Thursday, 29.11.2007 / 06:49

With yet another electrifying performance on a big European night under the Weser Stadium floodlights, Werder Bremen stunned one of the heavyweights of football, beating Real Madrid 3:2 (2:1).

With yet another electrifying performance on a big European night under the Weser Stadium floodlights, Werder Bremen stunned one of the heavyweights of football, beating Real Madrid 3:2 (2:1). The win sets up trainer Thomas Schaaf’s men for a cup final feel on the last day of the group phase against Greek hopefuls Olympiakos Piräus for a place amongst the last sixteen. Werder’s goals were scored by Markus Rosenberg (5’), Boubacar Sanogo (40’) and Aaron Hunt (58’) whist Robinho (14’) and Ruud van Nistlerooy (71’) got on the score sheet for the Spaniards but the points were to remain in Bremen with Werder battling tooth and nail for a deserved win.

 

More personnel misery for Werder

 

Once again the Green-Whites had massive personnel worries, leaving trainer Thomas Schaaf again having to shuffle his pack compared to the side which started in Saturday’s 2:0 win in Cottbus. Christian Vander replaced Tim Wiese (muscle sinew tear) between the posts and Jurica Vranjes replaced the suspended Diego in a midfield foursome which included Aaron Hunt for the first time in six months after Tim Borowski was forced out of the tie at short notice. Up front, Boubacar Sanogo returned to the starting line up with Ivan Klasnic not registered to play in the Champions League group phase.

 

Right from the outset, the fans got a taste of what was to come and another of those wonderful European nights loomed large in Bremen. With just two minutes on the clock, Robinho popped up in the home sides penalty area for the first time but was blocked by a strong challenge by Clemens Fritz. Shortly afterwards the hosts ventured forward for the first time – and how!! Fritz sprinted forward and crossed to the centre, pulling a muscle in doing so, where Markus Rosenberg and Boubacar Sanogo were poised in wait. The Ivory Coast somehow managed to flick the delivery on with his shoulder to his Swedish colleague who failed to make a clean connection with the ball but did enough to beat the advancing Real keeper and give Tomas Schaaf’s men a shock, early lead. On the down side, having gone in front, the provider of the original cross, Clemens Fritz, had to be substituted and was replaced by Dusko Tosic.

 

Robinho levels the tie

 

The tempo of the clash remained electrifying with the visitors having the majority of possession but not seriously threatening a determined Werder side. In the seventh minute, Naldo was somewhat lucky to see the use of his hand in the penalty area go unpunished and in the same minute, Christian Vander was called into action to clear the danger with a punch. Real then displayed exactly the sort of individual talent they have within their ranks with Robinho going on a mazy run in the thirteenth minute and finding an equaliser. The slightly built Brazilian was allowed to carry the ball too far unchallenged and from the edge of the box he curled the ball precisely into the bottom right corner of the net – 1:1.

 

The guests appeared at this stage to have shaken off their surprise at the manner in which Werder had started the match and took control of the tie with Werder nervously losing the ball all too easily when attempting to launch attacks. The home defence was called into action and proved up to the task, allowing their highly rated opponents to be caught by the off-side trap or making last ditch clearances when necessary.

 

Rosenberg strides to provide

 

In the 34th minute, the home side gave their fans something to warm their hearts on an icy night when Rosenberg missed out on a Vranjes cross with an overhead kick but the ball fell to Daniel Jensen who picked out Naldo with a pass and the Brazilian struck on goal, only to see his effort stopped on the line by Madrid keeper Iker Casillas. During this period, the Spaniards had little to offer aside from some slightly arrogant trickery from Robinho, but it was Werder who were to prove effective. Markus Rosenberg picked up the pieces from a cleared Real corner and burst forward with stunning pace, riding a couple of tackles before crossing to the centre from the by-line to where Sanogo got ahead of his marker and flicked the ball home to give the Green-Whites the lead. A wonderful goal and a perfectly timed one just before the break.

 

The second period started much as the first had with a misunderstanding between Naldo and Per Merstesacker allowing Ruud van Nistelrooy a brief sight of goal but luckily for Werder were able to clear as the German centre half cut out Raul. At the other end, Sanogo was testing Casillas again with a header from a corner that the keeper needed to use all his ability to again make an excellent save from. Real proved they could also defend stoutly and were reduced to long clearance to avert the threat from the home side and often launched towards the ever present Dutch striker who, in the 56th minute put a shot wide with the goal at his beckon call from just four meters out. Werder were again more effective on their way forward and on the break, an impressive Daniel Jensen played a perfectly weighted pass into the run of Aaron Hunt to toe poked the ball past the stranded Casillas to make it 3:1 for Werder – a two goa lead for the home side, and not an undeserved one.

 

Real up the pressure

 

And that was not enough for the hosts who came very close to making it 4:1 as Frank Baumann drove a cleared corner back on goal and the keeper had to go full stretch to deny the Werder captain and just afterwards Rosenberg shot just wide of the upright from 12 meters out. Real were down but certainly not out and Naldo and Tosic were both called upon to make last ditch clearances. In the 71st minute the visitors again launched an attack on the Werder goal and Tosic again cleared from the feet of the Dutch striker but van Nistelrooy refusd to give up on the chance and chipped from a tight angle to beat Vander, who had rashly sped from his line, to make it 3:2. Bremen were looking tired and needed to call upon all of their reserves to survive the closing minutes.

 

There was little by the way of real pressure from the Spanish giants though and the Bremen back line kept a cool head, never allowing much through. Carlos Albert made his return late on and almost had an immediate impact as he picked up a pass from Martin Harnik but Casillas was well placed to save from the Brazilian and the opening flittered away (88’). The Green-White faithful were put through three long minutes of added time but their heroes were equal to the challenge and took all three points to set up a final day thriller in Athens against Olympiakos Piräus in a fortnight.

 

Johnnie Muldoon

 

Werder Bremen- Real Madrid 3:2

 

Werder Bremen: Vander – Fritz (6. Tosic), Mertesacker, Naldo, Pasanen – Baumann, Vranjes, Hunt (76. Harnik), Jensen – Sanogo (87. Carlos Alberto), Rosenberg; on the bench: Pellatz, Artmann, Schindler

 

Real Madrid: Casillas – Sergio Ramos, Metzelder, Pepe, Marcelo – Diarra, Guti, Gago (61. Higuain), Robinho (75. Robben) – Raul, van Nistelrooy

 

Goals: 1:0 Rosenberg (4.), 1:1 Robinho (14.), 2:1 Sanogo (40.), 3:1 Hunt (58.), 3:2 van Nistelrooy (71.)

 

Yellow cards: Hunt – Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Diarra

 

Referee: Pieter Vink (Holland)

 

Attendance: Weser-Stadion - 36.350

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