The streak is over – Werder Bremen saw their 23-game unbeaten streak snapped in losing at home 2-0 against Schalke in front of 33,000 spectators at Weser Stadium. It was...
The streak is over – Werder Bremen saw their 23-game unbeaten streak snapped in losing at home 2-0 against Schalke in front of 33,000 spectators at Weser Stadium. It was...
The streak is over – Werder Bremen saw their 23-game unbeaten streak snapped in losing at home 2-0 against Schalke in front of 33,000 spectators at Weser Stadium. It was only the Green-Whites’ second loss of the season, taking back to their 3-2 loss against Eintracht Frankfurt in the first week of the season at home on August 8, 2009. Kevin Kuranyi scored the first goal in the 47th minute and Jan Movarek made it 2-0 in the 72nd minute.
Head coach Thomas Schaaf welcomed back into the starting line-up Tim Wiese and Mesut Özil as Sebastian Mielitz and Tim Borowski returned to the bench. The Green-Whites had a fine chance after just four minutes but Carlos Zambrano deflected Daniel Jensen’s 13-yard blast just over the crossbar. Kevin Kuranyi had space in the 10th minute but directed his shot over the framework. Schaaf’s men struggled to find their passing game against the compact Schalke defence. And the game was dead-locked at 0-0 at the break.
Werder were caught napping two minutes after intermission as Schalke beat Werder’s off-side trap. Lewis Holtby sent a through ball to Kuranyi, who got past Wiese and pushed into the empty goal from 11 yards. Özil had space right of goal in the 54th minute but his shot went directly into the arms of Schalke keeper Manuel Neuer. Nine minutes later, Schaaf brought on Claudio Pizarro, making his return to the pitch after missing nearly seven weeks. But Bremen were beaten again for a 2-0 deficit as Kuranyi passed off to Jan Movarek, whose shot deflected off Per Mertesacker over Wiese and in. The Green-Whites tried to push forward and pull a goal back but Schalke were too strong defensively and Bremen saw their unbeaten streak snapped.
Werder Bremen: Wiese - Fritz, Mertesacker, Naldo, Boenisch - Frings (75’ Rosenberg) – Jensen (55’ Borowski), Hunt – Özil – Almeida (63’ Pizarro), Marin; reserves: Mielitz, Pasanen, Prödl, Niemeyer
FC Schalke 04: Neuer - Zambrano, Höwedes, Westermann, Schmitz - Rafinha, Matip, Rakitic (71’ Moravek) - Farfan (90’ Hanzel), Kuranyi, Holtby (56’ Sanchez)
Goals: 0-1 Kuranyi (47’), 0-2 Moravek (72’)
Referee: Dr. Fleischer (Sigmertshausen)
Weser Stadium: 33,000 spectators
Yellow cards: Boenisch, Hunt, Frings – Kuranyi, Farfan
