The K&K strike force have returned to the Bundesliga in stunning fashion. The Green-Whites won 2:0 against Borussia Mönchengladbach on the 23rd match day of the season thanks to goals from Miroslav Klose (16') and Ivan Klasnic (27').
The K&K strike force have returned to the Bundesliga in stunning fashion. The Green-Whites won 2:0 against Borussia Mönchengladbach on the 23rd match day of the season thanks to goals from Miroslav Klose (16') and Ivan Klasnic (27').
The K&K strike force have returned to the Bundesliga in stunning fashion. The Green-Whites won 2:0 against Borussia Mönchengladbach on the 23rd match day of the season thanks to goals from Miroslav Klose (16') and Ivan Klasnic (27'). Bremen successfully made the swing from Champions League to the everyday task of chasing the leaders in the Bundesliga.
With Torsten Frings having picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Dortmund last weekend, the German national midfielder was forced to sit this one out with Daniel Jensen filling the gap on the right. Miroslav Klose, having returned to action in the Champions League, made his Bundesliga return and forced Nelson Valdez back onto the bench.
Strong first half sets Werder on winning way
Trainer Thomas Schaaf's men presented themselves as wide awake and put Borussia Mönchengladbach under pressure early on. The first chance almost fell to Miro Klose poised for a header after ten minutes which defender Svensson was able to clear for a corner. The Gladbach keeper Kasey Keller had previously underestimated a Johan Micoud delivery and was lucky to see a defender clear the danger. From the resulting Tim Borowski corner, Keller needed the aide of El Fakiri to scrape the ball off the line after a Naldo header. At the other end, Oliver Neuville had the ball in the Werder net after a through ball from Wesley Sonck but the linesman saw a very tight offside against the German striker.
The ball was in the net again three minutes later but this time at the other end and it counted. Frank Baumann picked out a strong Patrick Owomoyela who in turn fed Micoud on the right. The French playmaker swung a cross into the box where Klose had slipped Svensson and Broich to head past the Gladbach keeper - 1:0. The visitors caused some confusion through a Broich free-kick which Frank Fahrenhorst attempted to clear but in doing so tested the reflexes of his own keeper (22').
It was a further set play that led to the next goal. Firstly Ivan Klasnic failed to spot a better positioned Daniel Jensen and could only win a corner with his effort after a deflection off Ze Antonio. Micoud delivered the corner and Frank Fahrenhorst climbed highest and headed goalwards but Keller got a hand on the ball and turned it against the crossbar. Klasnic, as a good poacher should be, was in the right place to head the rebound home from point blank range - 2:0 (27'). Two minutes later Broich had the chance to pull a goal back for Borussia but couldn't test Tim Wiese in the Werder goal.
Klasnic crossbar cracker
The visitors made things relatively easy for Werder with wasted, untidy passes giving their hosts plenty of room to manouver. Especially from set plays, Werder proved always to be a step ahead of Gladback and it was just such a set piece that very nearly led to the Green-Whites going 3:0 up. Borowski flicked a corner from Micoud with his heel into the path of Klasnic who shot from a difficult position only to see his effort, which had beaten the keeper, crash back off the crossbar.
Gladback had the last chance before the break with a header from Stresser after a Broich corner but Wiese was well placed to pluck the ball out of the air.
After the break, Werder remained in control but never needed to step up a gear against a very passive Gladbach side. Johan Micoud was on top form yet again, spreading the play and putting clever passing moves together. In the 56th minute he sent Klasnic on his way, the Croatian passed into the box for Klose but Strasser won the challenge and cleared. The Green-Whites took the pace out of the game and allowed Gladbach to come at them but the visitors could only muster a harmless drive from distance (66'). Horst Köppel's side did get the ball in the box again but Owomoyela had Neuville well marked and beat the striker to Broich's attempted cross.
For Bremen both Klose (67', 69') and Daniel Jensen (79') missed chances to extend Werder's lead. In the end the K&K first half strikes were enough to dispense of an understrenght Gladbach team and keeps the Green-Whites a safe four points clear of Schalke in fourth place (Schalke against Nuremburg 2:0).
Johnnie Muldoon
Werder Bremen – Borussia Mönchengladbach 2:0 (2:0)
Werder Bremen: Wiese - Owomoyela, Fahrenhorst, Naldo, Schulz - Baumann - D. Jensen, Borowski (88. Vranjes) - Micoud - Klose (82. Polenz), Klasnic (70. Valdez); on the bench: Vander, Andreasen, Pasanen, van Damme
Borussia Mönchengladbach: Keller - Svensson, Strasser (63. Thijs), Zé Antonio - Bögelund (63. Rafael), El Fakiri, Polanski, Jansen - Broich - Sonck (74. Kahe), Neuville
Goals: 1:0 Klose (16.), 2:0 Klasnic (27.)
Referee: Sippel (München)
Attendance: Weser-Stadion: 39.900 Zuschauer
Yellow card: Bögelund
Shots on goal: 14 : 6
Corners: 10 : 6
crosses: 16 : 9
Possession: 58% : 42%
Tackles won: 49% : 51%
Fouls: 19 : 16
Offsides: 7 : 9
Most shots on goal: D. Jensen, Klose, Klasnic (3) – Polanski (2)
Most assists: Micoud, Borowski (4) – Broich (3)
Most ball possession: Micoud (107) – Broich (62)
Strongest tackler: Fahrenhorst (69%) – Ze Antonio (69%)
