Werder Bremen suffered their second defeat of the season losing 3:1 to Bayern in Munich on the tweleveth match day.
Werder Bremen suffered their second defeat of the season losing 3:1 to Bayern in Munich on the tweleveth match day.
Werder Bremen suffered their second defeat of the season losing 3:1 to Bayern in Munich on the tweleveth match day. 66,000 spectators crammed into the Allianz-Arena saw Werder get off to a flying start with goal machine Miroslav Klose marking up his tweleveth goal of the campaign after lss than 40 seconds. The German international climbed above marker Schweinsteiger to bury a header from a Tim Borowski cross past Kahn in the Bayern goal.
Werders rapture was only to be short lived though as the home side equalised two minutes later. Again Schweinsteiger was involved, this time intercepting a misplaced pass from Leon Andreasen. The young Munich star drove a shot from all of 25 meters which deflected off Torsten Frings and caught Andi Reinke wrong footed. The following period developed into a tit-for-tat battle with both sides creating a number of chances in search of the upper hand. Makaay (10') and Lucio (13') both missed chances for the hosts after Nelson Valdez saw his shot zip just outside the post (8'). Tim Borowski had a go from distance and came even closer than Valdez, cracking his effort off the bar (16').
Pizarro frustrates ex-club
Bayern may have had more of the possession until now but the visitors definatealy had the better openings. Miroslav Klose gave Lucio the slip out on the left flank and squared across the box toward Valdez but Kahn was alert and advanced to clear the danger ahead of the Paraguayean (23'). Five minutes later, again Klose, fed Torsten Frings with the outside of his boot but ex-Bayern players chip beat both Kahn and the crossbar.
Much to Werders dismay, the league leaders showed them how it's done twice before the break. Zé Roberto took on a long pass from Schweinsteiger and skinned Patrick Owomoyela before crossing to Pizarro who could control the ball undisturbed on the penalty spot and turn past Reinke - 2:1. Just prior to the goal the Green-White suffered another set back, losing captain Frank Baumann after a clash of heads in a challenge between himself, Christian Schulz and Sebastian Deisler. Then right on half-time Pizarro turned provider laying a pass across the box into the path of Roy Makaay who gladly slammed home to end his goal drought and send the visitors into the break trailing 3:1.
Hunt's hapless hunt
Nelson Valdez, who came close with a header in the 38th minute, had to retire at half-time with a thigh injury and was replaced by Aaron Hunt. The 19 year old was involved right away, testing Kahn after three minutes. The keepers parry landed at the feet of Klose but the Werder striker had strayed offside. The hosts had decided to reduce the early tempo and sit back on their two goal advantage with an altogether more defensive plan in the second period.
Werder attempted to put Bayern under pressure and won nine corners but were never able to create such clear chances as they had had in the first half. Aaron Hunt came closest to putting Bremen back into contention with a header in the 74th minute and a shot from the tightest of angles after some fantastic work from Klose. Bayern had settled on using the odd counter and twice came close to extending their lead through Pizarro (76', 80').
For the time being, the Green-Whites remain in second place but find themselves now five points adrift of the leaders from Munich.
Johnnie Muldoon
