The Werder Bremen goal machine failed to produce on the tenth match day of the season in the mini Northern derby in Hanover against 96. The visitors managed to take at least one point back to the Weser with ten men after Frank Fahrenhorst recieved his marching orders for a deliberate hand-ball in the 82nd minute.
Trainer Thomas Schaaf made three changes to the side which drew 1:1 with Udinese in the Champions League. Ivan Klasnic replaced Miroslav Klose, Frank Fahrenhorst filled in for Leon Andreasen who was suffering with muscle strain and Jurica Vranjes took on the midfield roll usually played by captain Frank Baumann.
Valdez misses early chance
Almost 50,000 spectators at the AWD Arena saw the visitors get off to a bright start but had problems creating openings against a packed Hanover defence. It took Werder tweleve minutes to get a shot on goal when Patrick Owomoyela drove a delivery across the box where Nelso Valdez came at pace but couldn't direct his shot on goal. The Paraguayean striker was Werders biggest threat in the first half and almost gave the Green-Whites the lead six minutes later. Christian Schulz pressed down the left wing and crossed to Valdez who beat Per Mertesacker to the ball but for all his efforts, the width of the post kept the scores level.
The Bundesligas eleventh placed team, who were without experienced defender Michael Tarnat, reduced themselves to compact defending and made only limited outtings towards the opponents goal ending in a harmless effort by Thomas Brdaric (28') and a disallowed goal from Christoph Dabrowski (35') who impeeded Andi Reinke in challenging for the ball inside the six yard box. Nelson Valdez should have once again given Werder the lead with a headed effort just before the break but the 21 year olds attempt failed to trouble Robert Enke in the Hanover goal.
After the break, the hosts managed to put their guests under an amount of pressure but to little avail. Vinicius tested Andreas Reinke with a header from a Yankov free-kick (47'), five minutes later Brdaric, after a perfectly weighted pass from Jiri Stajner, found himself with only the keeper to beat but could only chip the ball into Reinkes arms.
Post denies Klose
Bremen had problems relieving the pressure on their defence during this period. Torsten Frings tried his luck with a shot from distance which went just wide of the mark (53'). On the hour it was time for the coach to make some changes, bringing Klose for Valdez and Daniel Jensen to replace Johan Micoud who had been carrying a knock. Klose introduction almost made all the difference fifteen minutes later with what was the best chance of the match. The German international collected a pass from Klasnic, rounded the keeper and placed his shot from a tight angle, only to see it bounce away off the inside of the post of an empty goal (78').
The closing phase, of what had been a fair tie, proved hectic with Borowski (76') and Schulz (80') picking up yellow cards before Frank Fahrenhorst, on his first start of the season, was shown the red card for a deliberate hand ball in a challenge with Stajner (82').
Keeper Andi reinke was called on again to turn a drive from Hanno Balitisch over the bar late on to guarantee Werder a share of the points. The result means that Werder slip back into second place in the table with Bayern Munich winning 4:0 at home against Duisburg.
Johnnie Muldoon