...And Werder get on their way as they would have wished. The Green-Whites deserved 1:0 win against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the quarter final of the Premiere-League-Cup was just the start to the season that trainer Thomas Schaaf had hoped for. Around 20,000 fans in the LTU-Arena in Dusseldorf saw a lively first half during which Werder proved the more active side. Schaaf opted to return to his midfield 'Diamond' system with captain Frank Baumann, Tim Borowski, Johan Micoud and Torsten Frings who started on the right but was in constant rotation. Frings was always involved and covered a great deal of pitch using his intellect and strenght to make an impression as one of Werders best men on the day.
Bremen took a mere seven minutes to get their first wiff of goal. Ivan Klasnic bustled his way past Callsen-Bracker on the left and then passed on to strike partner Miro Klose. Under pressure from Ahmed Madouni the German international poked the ball just wide of the right post. Four minutes later it was Bayers turn to test the keeper with Franca. The Brazillian got on the end of poorly headed clearance from Petri Pasanen, then took on Werders other centre half Leon Andreasen but Andi Reinke was quickly from his line to smother the danger.
One goal and twice 'Lebenslang Grün-Weiß' (Lifelong Green-White)
After 16 minutes the first real celebration got underway at the LTU-Arena and that to the sound of 'Lebenslang Grün-Weiß', Werders sturing anthem. Tim Borowski collected the ball in midfield from an attempted Bayer clearance and picked out Johan Micoud with a pass from which the Frenchman hammered home. No cause for celebration after all as the linesman spotted 'Le Chef' in an offside position and referee Manuel Gräfe from Berlin denied Werder the lead.
Three minutes later the Werder anthem blasted around the stadium again and this time the stadium DJ was spared his blushes. Once again Borowski played in Micoud who found Klasnic in the box. The 'Killer' beat Madouni and Ramelow before slamming past a hopelessly abandoned Hans-Jörg Butt in the Leverkusen goal. 1:0 for Werder.
After taking the lead, Werder took their foot off the gas and allowed Leverkusen to get into the game but trainer Klaus Augenthalers eleven failed to make their increasing pressure count. Firstly Franca failed to net a shot through a packed Werder penalty area (26') and then Bernd Schneider had his drive from 16 meters blocked (27'). The Green-White defence appeared much better concentrated than in recent test games. Up front the Bremer strike force would have loved to increase their lead and could have in the 37th minute. Miroslav Klose launced a ball from the half way line to Ivan Klasnic who knocked on to Johan Micoud and made his way into the box. Micoud made his way out on the right before crossing back to Klasnic but the Croatian striker couldn't keep his shot down.
Energy sapped in the second half
After the break the game lost a lot of its tempo with the energy sapping trainings camp from last week showing clearly. Werder just did the minimal to hold their lead and it was only in the closing phase that that lead became threatened but twice Andi Reinke was on hand. First the Werder keeper saved from a 25 meter hammer drive by Marko Babic (84') and then denied Franca a minute later. It was strangely keeper Jörg Butt who had the best chance to equalise for Leverkusen. Christian Schulz felled Tranquillo Barnetta in the box. Butt took on the resulting penalty which he then blased wide of the left post in the fifth minute of added time. Then all was over and Werder are a round further in the Premiere-League-Cup. The Green-Whites will now face FC Schalke 04 on Wednesday 27.07.2005.