With a mixture of luck, intelligaence and killer instinct, Werder took three very important points back from Dortmund to the Weser. Ivan Klasnic scored the decisive goal in the 37th minute with a left footed drive from 16 meters.
With a mixture of luck, intelligaence and killer instinct, Werder took three very important points back from Dortmund to the Weser. Ivan Klasnic scored the decisive goal in the 37th minute with a left footed drive from 16 meters.
With a mixture of luck, intelligaence and killer instinct, Werder took three very important points back from Dortmund to the Weser. Ivan Klasnic scored the decisive goal in the 37th minute with a left footed drive from 16 meters. Dortmund were not without their chances, in particular coming down the left flank through pacy winger David Odonkor but without much joy, falling foul to the Werder offside trap an amazing 20 times.
The fact the Ivan Klasnic was fit to play was the happiest news of the day in the Werder camp. The 26 year old had been fighting off a heavy cold over the past few days. Patrick Owomoyela made his return to the starting eleven, replaing Petri Pasanen in the right full back position.
Werder start strongly, Dortmund often offside
The starting phase of the game brought back memories of last seasons meeting between the two. Werder took the initiative and forced the home side wayy back in their own half of the pitch. The search for a goal remained unfruitful with BVB keeper Roman Weidenfeller alert to deny both Tim Borowski (3') and Ivan Klasnic (9') early on. One minute after Klasnic' effort, the keeper was busy again keeping out Nelson Valdez. The Paraguayan international came close again three minutes later after breaking past his marker Brzenska but landing his attempted lob over the onrushing keeper on top of the net.
The statistics for the first twenty minutes of the game clearly showed the one sidedness of the tie. Nine shots on goal and five corners for Werder, no shots on goal and not even a corner for Borussia. When Bert van Marwijk's side did manage to get forward, they found themselves falling foul to the Werder offside trap all too often. Gambino did manage to break down the left but was forced to go it alone with Smolarek in an offside position, the young wingers attempted chip proved easy pickings for Tim Wiese in the Werder goal (25').
Twice against the woodwork
Dortmunds strategy of catching Werder out with long balls to their speedy wingers was having steadily more success, in particular when Odonkor was played through against Christian Schulz whom he had caused several headaches during Werders 3:2 win earlier in the season. In the 28th minute, Odonkor collected a Sebastian Kehl pass and tried to free Smolarek in the centre but Frank Fahrenhorst had spotted the danger and got a foot on the cross to clear for a corner. Dortmunds luck was clearly not in. Naldo climbed to head away a Rosicky corner but could only get the ball as far as Florian Kringe who hammered the ball back goalwards only to find the upright.
The luck in the game was seemingly on the side of the visitors, so was it to develop that the Green-Whites took the lead just as BVB had begun to turn up the pressure. A much improved Patrick Owomoyela played to Valdez in the box, the striker failed to control the ball which luckily fell to the left boot of Ivan Klasnic. The Croatian struck cleanly and left the BVB keeper with no chance - 0:1 (37'). At the other end, Smolarek miscued a pass from Rosicky and failed to hit back and draw level immediately. With Rosicky missing again right on the break, Werder took a lucky lead into the break.
No real change in the second half, the whole team doing the work but continuing to be caught by the Bremen offside trap which often cost the nreves of the 4,300 travelling supporters. Just on the hour, Dortmund came again through Odonkor who picked out Smolarek in the middle but the Polish striker was again frustrated by the post. Valdez soon after had the chance to settle the nail biting fans in green and white but was foiled by Weidenfeller.
Fifth yellow for Frings
The Paraguayan again missed simply too many chances and Werder were almost punished for their failings. It was déjà-Vu for the 75,200 fans in the stadium as Odonkor again supplied a cross for Smolarek only to have it blocked by Fahrenhorst. In the 72nd minute, Odonkor was supplier again but both Kringe and Dede missed out. Werder found their way again late on, Jurica Vranjes coming for the burned out Klasnic (81'). Thomas Schaaf was taking no chances and was happy to see how his side played out the match.
One negative event for Werder was a tactical foul from Torsten Frings which cost him his fifth yellow card of the season to put him out against Borussia Mönchengladbach next week.
Johnnie Muldoon
Borussia Dortmund – Werder Bremen 0:1 (0:1)
Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller - Degen, Brzenska, Wörns, Dede - Kehl - Kringe, Rosicky - Odonkor, Smolarek, Gambino (55. Gambino)
Werder Bremen: Wiese - Owomoyela, Fahrenhorst, Naldo, Schulz - Baumann - Frings, Borowski - Micoud - Valdez, Klasnic (81. Vranjes); auf der Bank: Vander, Pasanen, Andreasen, van Damme, D. Jensen, Polenz
Goals: 0:1 Klasnic (37.)
Referee: Dr. Markus Merk (Otterbach)
Attendance: Signal-Iduna-Park: 75.200 Zuschauer
Yellow cards: Borowski, Frings, Schulz
Shots on goal : 11 : 18
Corners: 6 : 9
Crosses: 19 : 10
Possession: 46% : 54%
Tackles won: 50% : 50%
Fouls: 16 : 18
Offsides: 20 : 0
Most shots on goal: Wörns, Smolarek, Gambino (2) – Frings, Valdez (4)
Most assists: Rosicky (5) – Frings, Borowski, Klasnic (3)
Most individual possession: Dede (79) – Frings (89)
Most tackles won: Degen (65%) – Naldo (77%)
