They may have had Christmas trees on their shirts yesterday, but Werder Bremen were anything but in the giving mood on the final Bundesliga match-day of 2007. The Green-Whites put on an electrifying display to beat Bayer 04 Leverkusen 5:2 at the Weser Stadium.
Tranquillo Barnetta gave the feisty visitors and early lead but despite looking somewhat ruffled at the beginning, Werder took control as the game went on and deservedly equalised on the half hour mark through Ivan Klasnic. After the break, Diego (50’), Clemens Fritz (57’), again Klasnic (63’) and Markus Rosenberg (69’) were all on target for the home side as they rallied to put the midweek disappointment of their Champions League out behind them. Setfan Kießling snatched a goal for Bayer in the 77th minute to make it 5:2, but the German internationals header was no more than a consolation for a well beaten Leverkusen side.
Bayer’s blitz start
The highly anticipated clash between the league’s second and fourth placed teams got off to a disaster of a start for the hosts from Bremen. A misplaced pass by Per Mertesacker was intercepted and the visitors launched a lightening attack through Paul Freier who passed to Tranquillo Barnetta and the Swiss international didn’t need to be asked a second time as he slammed the ball past the advancing Tim Wiese, leaving the keeper without a chance (6’).
Just four minutes later, Tim Borowski had a chance to equalised but on the whole it was Leverkusen who had the better of the play, and deserved their lead, in the first half hour. The visitors were technically and tactically well drilled, never allowing Werder, and in particular Diego, to produce anything telling. Another defensive error, this time by Daniel Jensen, allowed bayer in again and Stefan Kießling should have made it 2:0 but Tim Wiese was very quick off his line and well placed to cover as the Leverkusen striker took too heavy a first touch.
Klasnic’s Christmas Wonder
Somewhat surprisingly, but equally well created, Werder were back on level terms on the half hour mark. Diego chipped the ball over the Leverkusen defence to Tim Borowski who shot powerfully on goal. Bayer keeper René Adler made a fabulous reaction save from point blank range but could only parry and Ivan Klasnic was there to pick up the pieces and roll the ball into an empty net. It was the first goal for the Croatian after a year long struggle for fitness after a pair of kidney transplant operations and the joy for the striker was only too clear to see.
Before the game restarted, the home coach Thomas Schaaf made a surprise move, substituting captain Borowski and Jurica Vranjes in preference of Aaron Hunt and Leon Andreasen. The Green-Whites looked altogether more threatening now and had a couple of chances to take the lead through Ivan Klasnic before the half time whistle (35’, 45’). More surprising was the decision by the referee to wave away a penalty protest from Werder after Karim Haggui dived in wildly to hack down Marjus Rosenberg in the box (42’).
Four goals in 19 minutes
Werder’s frustration was short-lived though. After the re-start the Green-White goal machine quickly rolled into action, much to the delight of the bulk of the 40,000 fans in the stadium.With just five minute gone in the second period, Diego profited from the brave lunge of Daniel Jensen and the Brazilian struck low and hard into the bottom left corner to give his side the lead. Seven minutes later, the Dane Jensen was involved again as he played a well weighted pass to Clemens Fritz, who burst clear and slammed past Adler to make it 3:1.
Werder had their tails up and in particular, Ivan Klasnic was displaying an explosive mixture of determination and passion as well as simply enjoying being back on the pitch. The Croatian’s Christmas came early as he attempted to flick the ball on to Andreasen from a Rosenberg pass but Barnetta intercepted, playing the ball back to Klasnic who reacted instantly to poke the ball into the bottom left corner. Six minutes later, Jensen, Diego and Klasnic combined again to produced a fifth goal, this time the move was finished off by the energetic Rosenberg – 5:1.
Standing ovation for Klasnic
The game was now decided and Werder released the pressure and were caught off guard as Stefan Kießling beat Wiese at the second time of asking to reduce the deficit to three goals. The Werder fans were in the party mood and when Ivan Klasnic took his bow in the 85th minute, the Weser Stadium erupted in elation with the Croatian striker enjoying a rapturous standing ovation. The rest of the team got to enjoy their standing ovation five minutes ater and Werder Bremen can go into the winter break knowing only goal difference separates them from the top of the table.
Johnnie Muldoon
Werder Bremen- Bayer 04 Leverkusen 5:2
Werder Bremen: Wiese - Fritz, Mertesacker, Naldo, Pasanen - Jensen – Vranjes (31. Andreasen), Borowski (31. Hunt) - Diego - Rosenberg, Klasnic (85. Harnik); on the bench: Vander, Tosic, Schindler, Mosquera
Bayer 04 Leverkusen: Adler, Castro, Friedrich, Haggui (46. Sinkiewicz), Sarpei – Gresko, Rolfes – Freier (67. Gekas), Barbarez (73. Dum), Barnetta - Kießling
Goals: 0:1 (6.) Barnetta, 1:1 (30.) Klasnic, 2:1 (50.) Diego, 3:1 (57.) Fritz, 4:1 (63.) Klasnic, 5:1 (69.) Rosenberg, 5:2 (77.) Kießling
Referee: Kircher (Rottenburg)
Attendance: Weser-Stadium: 40.000
Yellow cards: Fritz, Andreasen – Haggui, Gresko, Castro, Barbarez