Werder fight to tight victory

Naldo scores the goal of the day.
First Team
Thursday, 12.03.2009 / 22:35

Werder Bremen knocked off AS St. Etienne 1-0 in the first leg of the UEFA Cup Round of 16 in front of 30,116 spectators at Weser Stadion. Naldo scored the goal of the day after just 20 minutes...

Werder Bremen knocked off AS St. Etienne 1-0 in the first leg of the UEFA Cup Round of 16 in front of 30,116 spectators at Weser Stadion. Naldo scored the goal of the day after just 20 minutes. After a strong first half, head coach Thomas Schaaf’s team was unable to add another goal in the second half. Bremen will take their slight lead on the road for the return leg with a berth in the quarter-finals at stake.

 

Werder started the game without the sick Per Mertesacker but with the recently ill Torsten Frings in the line-up. And the hosts dominated the run of play against the defensive-minded St. Etienne. The first setback came after 13 minutes when Daniel Jensen was elbowed in the face and replaced by Aaron Hunt. But the team did not let that affect them. And Werder grabbed the lead in the 20th minute as Naldo charged onto a loose ball in the area and hammered home from 12 yards out for the 1-0 lead. Despite the continued Bremen dominance, the gap remained just 1-0 at the break.

 

Early on in the second half, the French side was able to show their skills as well, with quick pushes forward which in the end proved unsuccessful. Werder found their way back into the game at the hour mark but could not convert a number of good chances, including Diego’s free kick into the side netting. St. Etienne remained dangerous with counter-attacks and Werder had keeper Tim Wiese to thank as he was excellent in stopping Dernis in the 73rd minute. And in the end it remained 1-0 and Bremen will try to defend that lead in the return leg on 18 March – though they will be without the suspended Frank Baumann.

 

 

Statistics:

 

Werder Bremen: Wiese – Pasanen, Baumann, Naldo, Boenisch – Frings, Tziolis, Jensen (13’ Hunt), Diego – Pizarro Almeida (59’ Rosenberg).

 

AS St. Etienne: Janot – Varrault, Dabo (46’ Matuidi), Sauget, Benalouane – Dernis (81’ Payet), Hautcoer, Paulo Machado (72’ Riviere), Sall – Mirallas, Gomis.

 

Goals: 1-0 Naldo (20’).

 

Yellow cards: Dabo, Benalouane (both AS St. Etienne).

 

Referee: Terje Hauge (Norway)

 

Weser Stadion: 30,116 Spectators

 

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