Werder Bremen won the first leg of their UEFA Champions League qualification against Italian side UC Sampdoria Genua 3-1 to put themselves in a good spot for the return leg...
Werder Bremen won the first leg of their UEFA Champions League qualification against Italian side UC Sampdoria Genua 3-1 to put themselves in a good spot for the return leg...
Werder Bremen won the first leg of their UEFA Champions League qualification against Italian side UC Sampdoria Genua 3-1 to put themselves in a good spot for the return leg next week. The goals for Bremen were scored by Clemens Fritz, Torsten Frings and Claudio Pizarro. Giampaolo Pazzini struck in the final minute for the Italians, who finished with 10 men.
A crowd of 25,276 came out to Bremen’s Weser Stadium to see Thomas Schaaf’s concentrated team start the game very well with the first chance coming through Hugo Almeida on a free kick in the second minute. Aaron Hunt was also close at the 15-minute mark with a fine shot which the Sampdoria keeper did a good job fending away.
In the first game after Mesut Özil’s transfer to Real Madrid, Werder continued to put Genua under pressure and create more chances. Petri Pasanen just missed a long distance blast from about 30 yards. And Almeida, who again was in the attack alongside Claudio Pizarro, struck the crossbar at the half-hour mark with a header, sending the game into the break knotted at 0-0.
Werder had a great start to the second half as the Green-Whites finally grabbed the lead in the 51st minute. Clemens Fritz pounced on a rebound into the upper left corner. Genua had their best chance seven minutes later with Giampaolo Pazzini hitting the post. Frings doubled Werder’s lead in the 67th minute converting a penalty after Sebastian Prödl was fouled to make to 2-0. Stefano Lucchini was sent off on the foul with his second warning. Almeida and Pizarro hooked up with some fine passing in the 69th minute to make it 3-0 and ensure Bremen the victory going into the August 24 return leg in Italy. Pazzini’s goal in the 90th minute was the only negative for the Green-Whites, giving the Italians a shimmer of hope.
Werder Bremen: Wiese - Fritz, Mertesacker, Prödl, Pasanen (77’ Boenisch) - Bargfrede, Frings - Hunt (85’ Marin), Borowski - Pizarro, Hugo Almeida (88’ Arnautovic)
Sampdoria Genua: Curci - Volta, Gastaldello, Lucchini, Ziegler - Semioli (68’ Stankevicius), Palombo, Tissone (59’ Poli), Mannini (65’ Guberti) - A. Cassano - Pazzini
Goals: 1-0 Fritz (51’), 2-0 Frings (66’ pen), 3-0 Pizarro (69’), 3-1 Pazzini (90’)
Yellow cards: Fritz (53’) - Volta (18’), Ziegler (52’), Lucchini (61’), Cassano (81’)
Yellow-red card: Lucchini (65’)
Referee: Stéphane Lannoy (Boulogne-sur-Mer, France)
Weser Stadium: 25,276 spectators
