Werder Bremen fought to a 0-0 draw in their away match at Cologne to extend their unbeaten streak to 23 games. Bremen remained in second place behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen...
Werder Bremen fought to a 0-0 draw in their away match at Cologne to extend their unbeaten streak to 23 games. Bremen remained in second place behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen...
Werder Bremen fought to a 0-0 draw in their away match at Cologne to extend their unbeaten streak to 23 games. Bremen remained in second place behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen after the 15th game day.
Keeper Sebastian Mielitz was once again between the posts for the still-sick Tim Wiese and made his Bundesliga debut. In addition, Naldo, Sebastian Boenisch, Tim Borowski, Hugo Almeida and Marko Marin were in the starting line-up for Sebastian Prödl, Petri Pasanen, Peter Niemeyer, Marcelo Moreno and Markus Rosenberg. Mesut Özil however missed the game with an injury.
The fans in Cologne saw a defensive-minded Cologne side who made things difficult for the Werder attack with their compact defence and relied on the counter attack in their own stadium. Thomas Schaaf’s team was lucky in the 13th minute as Milivoje Novakovic shot wide left after a cross from Lukas Podolski. Werder’s first chance came in the 18th minute as Per Mertesacker’s header off a corner went just over the crossbar. And four minutes later Cologne keeper Thomas Kessler made a fine save on a header by Hugo Almeida. Werder remained the better team until the break though neither side scored and the game was even at 0-0 at intermission.
Sebastian Mielitz kept his team in the game in the 53rd minute with an excellent stop of Novakovic’s shot after a fine pass from Maniche. Thomas Schaaf tried to spark his offense with 20 minutes left, bringing in Markus Rosenberg for Hugo Almeida in hopes of bagging three points in Cologne. But the Green-Whites could not figure out the hosts’ defence and Werder had to leave Cologne satisfied with just one point.
Cologne: Kessler – Schorch, Geromel, Mohamad, Ehret (46’ McKenna) – Pezzoni – Petit, Maniche (78’ Freis) – Chihi, Podolski – Novakovic
Werder Bremen: Mielitz – Fritz, Naldo, Mertesacker, Boenisch - Frings – Borowski, Jensen – Hunt – Almeida (70’ Rosenberg), Marin; reserves: Wiedwald, Pasanen, Prödl, Niemeyer, Moreno
Goals: –
Referee: Dr. Drees (Münster-Sarmsheim)
RheinEnergieStadium: 50,000 spectators (sold-out)
Yellow Cards: Mohamad, Schorch, Petit, Maniche – Naldo, Boenisch, Frings
