Despite twice taking the lead, Werder Bremen could only manage a 2-2 draw in their Bundesliga season opener against Arminia Bielefeld. In front of a crowd of 24,000, Markus Rosenberg was twice on target (60’/80’), but so too was Arminia’s Artur Wichniarek (74’/81’).
During a mediocre first half, Werder had problems finding a way past a well drilled Bielefeld defence and it was the home side who had the best chance in the first 45 minutes but Tim Wiese was equal to a powerful Wichniarek header from close range and the sides went into the break locked in stalemate.
After the re-start, both sides looked more determined to find a breakthrough and, after a corner from Torsten Frings on the hour mark, Markus Rosenberg forced the ball over the line with his chest to make it 1-0 for the Green-Whites. Just 14 minutes later the home side were back on level terms as a long ball forward from Jonas Kamper found its way to Wichniarek who slotted past Wiese to make it 1-1.
Werder raised the pace yet further and in the 80th minute were in front again as the impressive Rosenberg found an opening and blasted home from 16 meters out. The Green-Whites joy was rather short lived though as, just a minute later, a delivery across the box from the left founds it way through to Wichniarek who slotted home to make it 2-2 and give Bielefeld a not undeserved point.
The game at a glance:
Arminia Bielefeld:
Eilhoff – Lamey, Bollmann, Kucera, Schuler – Kauf, Kirch, Marx (68‘ Kamper), Katongo, Halfar (79‘ Tesche) – Wichniarek; on the bench: Riemer, Aigner, Fischer, Janjic, Sadik
Werder Bremen:
Wiese – Fritz, Prödl, Naldo, Boenisch – Baumann, Jensen, Frings, Hunt (69‘ Özil) – Almeida (73‘ Sanogo), Rosenberg; on the bench: Vander, Vranjes, Pasanen, Niemeyer, Harnik
Goals: 0:1 Rosenberg (60‘), 1:1 Wichniarek (74‘), 1:2 Rosenberg (80‘), 2:2 Wichniarek (81‘)
Yellow cards: Kamper, Bollmann – Hunt, Rosenberg
Referee: Dr. Jochen Drees (Münster)
Attendance: 24,000 (Schüco-Arena)