Narrow home defeat

When a picture speaks a thousand words: Hugo Almeida crawls frustrated along the deck.
First Team
Sunday, 16.03.2008 / 19:34

On the 24th match day of the season, Werder Bremen lost 0:1 (0:0) to VfL Wolfsburg, a result which sees the Green-Whites slip back into fourth place in the league table.

On the 24th match day of the season, Werder Bremen lost 0:1 (0:0) to VfL Wolfsburg, a result which sees the Green-Whites slip back into fourth place in the league table. 39,831 spectators at the Weser Stadium saw Brazilian striker Grafite (50') snatch the only goal of the day early in the second half.

 

During the first 45 minutes, the home side were in control of the match but found themselves unable to create anything of serious danger against a defensively well drilled Wolfsburg side. The visitors waited patiently for the chance to counter attack and were almost rewarded for their strategy as early as the eighth minute with Tim Wiese advancing to clear from VfL striker Grafite who had broken through.

 

The fans in the stadium saw the best chance for trainer Thomas Schaf’s team to take the lead in the 27th minute, but, having been sent on his way down the right by Patrick Owomoyela, striker Markus Rosenberg put his shot just wide of the far up-right. Shortly before the break, Tim Wiese was called into action again to make a save from Marcel Schäfer, who hammered in a shot from all of 30 meters out (44'), and the teams went into the half time break locked in stalemate.

 

The second half was barely five minutes old when VfL broke on a counter attack, following a Werder corner, to shock their hosts. The Brazilian front man Grafite played a pass out to fellow countryman Marcelinho out on the left, the midfield playmaker returned the favour with a pass back to the striker who had no problem slotting home from close range - 0:1 (50').

 

Werder reacted aggressively, with powerful forward pressing attacks, but, as many other top teams have registered of late, could find no way past the tightly packed Wolfsburg defence, which is currently one of the best in the Bundesliga. There were to be two more real chances on goal in the game, firstly for the visitors as Naldo was forced into a dangerous lunge in the penalty area to beat Grafite to the ball, then at the other end, VfL keeper Diego Benaglio got down to make a stunning save from Mesut Özil (79'), and with that, effectively guarantee all three points for his side.

 

 

 

The game at a glance:

 

Werder Bremen: Wiese - Owomoyela (46' Fritz), Pasanen (67' Sanogo), Naldo, Boenisch - Baumann - Jensen (40' Vranjes), Hunt - Özil - Rosenberg, Almeida

 

VfL Wolfsburg: Benaglio - Riether, Costa, Madlung, Schäfer - Josué - Hasebe (46' Santana), Gentner - Marcelinho - Grafite (88' Simunek), Ljuboja (55' Dejagah)

 

Goal: 0:1 Grafite (50')

 

Referee: Wagner (Hofheim)

 

Attendance: 39,831

 

Yellow Cards: Almeida - Gentner, Josué

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