Green-Whites Rewarded For Power-Play

Klasnic kisses his wedding ring having put Werder into the lead
First Team
Sunday, 18.09.2005 / 10:56

Werder Bremen have extended their record breaking Bundesliga start. Trainer Thomas Schaaf's side earned a 3:2 (1:1) win over Borussia Dortmund to claim their fourth win on the fifth match day of the new season.

Werder Bremen have extended their record breaking Bundesliga start. Trainer Thomas Schaaf's side earned a 3:2 (1:1) win over Borussia Dortmund to claim their fourth win on the fifth match day of the new season.

 

It was by no means easy pickings for Werder, whose centre half Petri Pasanen had to miss out at short notice. The Finnish international was again plagued by headaches, an after effect from the concusion he suffered during Bremens Champions League qualifier against FC Basel. The defender was replaced by Leon Andreasen.

The visitors had the first chance of the tie, David Odonkor's shot from a tight angle on the right blocked by Andi Reinke (2'). After Werder had had a chance of their own through Tim Borowski after a fine pass from Johan Micoud, the first of many, Werder must have felt 'Deja Vú' when, as against Barcelona, they conceeded an early goal. Florian Kringe broke past both Tim Borowski and Christian Schulz before passind wide to Odonkor, the German Under 21 international fired his pass across the box and found Ebi Smolarek totally free to blast his shot home - 0:1 BVB (8').

 

Werder turn up the heat

 

Werder reacted instantly, unpreturbed by the set back. Torsten Frings tested his ex-teammate Roman Wiedenfeller after a through ball from Micoud (11'). The guests broke again with another co-production between Odonkor and Smolarek but to no avail (20'), before the home team finally took control of the situation and opted for total power-play. Captain Frank Baumann pulled a cross back from the by-line to Micoud whose shot zipped wide of the upright (23'). Weidenfeller was equal to a fantastic Christian Schulz drive just two minutes later. BVB's on form keeper was again on call to smoother a Tim Borowski hammer at the second grasp. On the half hour, Naldo climbed to send a header from a Micoud delivery just wide of the target. Chaos in the BVB box, Micoud goes crashing to the floor under a double challenge from Kehl and Degen but referee Dr. Franz-Xaver Wack saw no infringement and waved play-on (33'). It was centre half Leon Andreasen's drive forward which eventually led to Bremens' long over dew equaliser. The Dane combined well with Borowski to get a shot away only to have it stopped on the line by Metzelder, Miroslav Klose collected the rebound and hammered home from 13 meters to put Werder back on level terms (37'). A deflected Borowski free-kick which struck the bar (39') or a Klasnic header from a Schulz corner (40') could have given the home side the half time lead but the referee's whistle gave Dortmund a chance to gather their thoughts.

 

Micoud and Klasnic combine for the lead

 

The frantic pace of play subdued somewhat after the break until 40,840 spectators were torn from their seats by a dream combination between Micoud and Ivan Klasnic. Werders French playmaker lobbed a pass over a flat footed BVB defence, Dedé played Klasnic on-side and the Croatian, seeing the keeper off his line, chipped the ball with precision into the top right corner of the net. With attempts from Frings (57'), Klose (62') and Klasnic (65') Werder should have finished of their opponents, instead they were to again rue missed chances as Borussia found a surprise equaliser. Jan Koller, who had earlier replaced Lars Ricken, was first to a long ball from Dedé ahead of Reinke who had come tearing from his goalline and nodded down to Smolarek who turned and shot BVB back into the points.

 

Werder were shocked by the equaliser but continued to press forward. Finally, in the 78th minute, Thomas Schaafs side recieved their just rewards for their efforts. A simple pass from Johan Micoud from the edge of the box sailed past friend and foe to find its way inside the far post. The Green-Whites sat back in the final phase to defend their deserved win and were almost punished in the final minute as Kringe met a corner and sent his header painstakingly wide.

 

THe home side held on to secure second place in the table with 13 points behind Bayern Munich (1:0 against Hanover, 15 points) and ahead of HSV (1:1 Frankfurt, 11 points).

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