Werder Bremen had a nightmare re-start in the Bundesliga, suffering a bitter defeat as the league campaign again got under way following the winter break. In front of a 38,000 crowd at the Weser Stadium, the Green-Whites went down to a 1:2 defeat by VfL Bochum, during which defender Naldo was shown the red card.
The game had looked very much to be going in favour of the home team for a long period with trainer Thomas Schaaf’s men always looking in control of proceedings and when Daniel Jensen hammered home just a minute before the break to put the Green-Whites in front, the local fans could be forgiven for believing their side were heading towards another win.
Within just a few second half minutes, Werder’s world was to be turned upside down though. In the 68th minute, Benjamin Auer snuck in to equalise for VfL Bochum and, to add insult to injury, centre half Naldo saw red just two minutes later for a professional foul. The visitors made use of their extra man and, with just six minutes to go, Anthar Yahia rose to head home a corner at the near post. Despite the disappointing defeat, Werder Bremen remain in second place in the table, three points adrift of league leaders Bayern Munich.
Werder Bremen: Wiese – Pasanen, Mertesacker, Naldo, Tošić – Baumann, Borowski, Jensen, Diego – Rosenberg, Hunt; - on the bench: Vander, Schindler, Harnik, Owomoyela, Özil, Vranjes, Kruse
VfL Bochum: Lastuvka – Maltritz, Pfertzel, Bönig (88’ Drsek), Yahia – Dabrowski, Imhof, Zdebel (76. Schröder), Azaouagh (67’ Ono) – Sestak, Auer; auf der Bank: Renno, Meichelbeck, Mieciel, Fuchs
Goals: 1:0 Jensen (44‘), 1:1 Auer (68‘), 1:2 Yahia (84‘)
Yellow cards: Zdebel, Dabrowski, Imhof – Jensen, Borowski
Red card: Naldo (70’, professional foul)
Referee: Michael Weiner (Giesen)
Attendance - Weser-Stadion: 38.000