Werder Bremen became the first team to beat Mainz at home this season, winning 2-1 on the 24th game day. Tim Borowski and Sebastian Prödl scored the goals for Thomas Schaaf’s team...
Werder Bremen became the first team to beat Mainz at home this season, winning 2-1 on the 24th game day. Tim Borowski and Sebastian Prödl scored the goals for Thomas Schaaf’s team...
Werder Bremen became the first team to beat Mainz at home this season, winning 2-1 on the 24th game day. Tim Borowski and Sebastian Prödl scored the goals for Thomas Schaaf’s team while Aristide Bance hit the initial equaliser for Mainz, who saw Florian Heller get a red card early in the game.
Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf made three changes to his line-up after the comfortable Europa League victory over Twente Enschede with Philipp Bargfrede, Tim Borowski and Aaron Hunt playing for Marko Marin, suspended captain Torsten Frings and Hugo Almeida, respectively. Christian Vander was also once again between the posts for the injured Tim Wiese. Mainz started very aggressively but were suddenly a man down just 14 minutes into the game as Florian Heller was red-carded for his attack on Hunt. Sebastian Prödl entered the game after 27 minutes for Aymen Abdennour. Hunt had the first chance a minute later but could not overcome Mainz backstop Heinz Müller from short range. Tim Borowski proved better four minutes later with a free kick goal from 28 yards into the right corner for a 1-0 lead. Mainz remained determined and equalised in the 45th minute with Eugen Polanski stealing a poor pass by Prödl and sending it to Aristide Bance, who blasted it past Vander from 16 yards. And the score was tied 1-1 at intermission.
Prödl made up for his mistake just five minutes after the re-start. Hunt fed the Austrian, who got past Malik Fathi before beating Müller from nine yards with a fine shot. Mainz began losing a bit of their power after that point with Bremen nearly increasing their lead on counter-attacks. But Schaaf’s men lacked the necessary precision. Bance had one final dangerous shot for Mainz in the 66th minute but Vander made a great save on the long distance attempt. The victory brings Bremen to within one point of Borussia Dortmund in fifth place and the final Europa League spot.
The game at a glance:
Mainz: Müller - Zabavnik, Svensson, Noveski, Fathi - Heller, Karhan (77’ Simak), Ivanschitz (34’ Polanski), Soto, Schürrle - Bance
Werder Bremen: Vander - Pasanen, Mertesacker, Naldo, Abdennour (27’ Prödl)- Borowski, Niemeyer, Özil (79’ Jensen), Bargfrede, Hunt (90’+1 Almeida) - Pizarro
Goals: 0-1 Borowski (31’), 1-1 Bance (45’), 1-2 Prödl (50’)
Red Card: F. Heller Mainz (14’)
Yellow Cards: Polanski, Soto (both Mainz), Hunt, Abdennour, Pasanen
Referee: Babak Rafati (Hannover)
Bruchweg Stadium: 20,300 spectators
