It was yet another 'Goal-Rush' involving Werder Bremen on the penultimate match day of the season. It was a win that was worth much more than just three points, the away success also almost secured third place and a Champions League play-off spot for the Green-Whites. Their is still a wild, outside chance for Schalke 04, who also won on Wednesday evening (3:1 against Bielefeld), to qualify in third place but have a six point deficit and have a 19 goal difference to catch up on in two games.
The win against MSV Duisburg, who were relegated, could have been a whole lot easier for Werder. The visitors who were captained by Torsten Frings, returning after a five week break, were in complete control of the game and dominated the first half hour. They had their first reward for fast, direct play after just four minutes when Johan Micoud neatly finished off a combination between Miroslav Klose and Daniel Jensen.
Ups and downs as 0:3 becomes 2:3
Tweleve minutes later the Frenchman was celebrating again. Klose dummied a Tim Borowki cross leaving Micoud to slip the ball past Jörg Koch in the Duisburg goal - 0:2. The 'Zebra's' defence were at sixes and sevens and it appeared only a matter of time before the next goal fell. Miro Klose headed toward a Christian Schulz pass but was chopped down by Biliskov - penalty! The German international took the penalty himself but could only hit the outside of the post. Tim Borowski reacted quickest but from from a tight angle the midfielder couldn't get the ball past Koch. The keeper had done well to block the shot but was helpless to deny Klose who pounced to head Werders third.
A comfortable cushion for Werder to rest upon but their litargy was bitterly penalised. The Green-Whites allowed the home side room to play football with the win pretty much under their belts, but Duisburg had other ideas. The leagues bottom side proved they can play ball when Tim Wiese was forced into bringing off a fantastic save from a Markus Kurth header. Soon after Ahn beat the offside trap to pick up a ball from Bugera a found the net to make it 1:3 (41'). Then in added time at the end of the first half Werder received a rude awakening when Kurth picked out Ahanfouf who made the half time score 2:3.
K&K strike force seal the deal
Thomas Schaaf's team talk in the break obviously got through to his players who looked much more lively for the second period despite yawning chasms still opening up at the back at times. Nelson Valdez came agonisingly close just before the hour when he took on a Micoud pass and turned to hit just over the bar from 16 meters. At the other end Biliskov came yet closer with a free-kick hammer that struck the out side of the post (70').
In the 75th minute, Klose and Micoud combined to make it 4:2 but a minute later Ahanfouf reduced the deficit again when Wiese couldn't hold a Bugera effort and the Maroccan poached his second of the night. Ivan Klasnic made sure of the win in the 86th minute when Werder hit on the break and benifited from the selfless Kose to make the final score 3:5.
Johnnie Muldoon
MSV Duisburg – Werder Bremen 3:5 (2:3)
MSV Duisburg: Koch - Möhrle, Biliskov, Baelum (71. Lavric), Meyer - Bodzek (85. Caligiuri) - Willi, Bugera - Kurth (71. van Houdt) - Ahn, Ahanfouf
Werder Bremen: Wiese - Owomoyela, Fahrenhorst, Naldo, Schulz (46. Pasanen) - Frings (63. Andreasen) - D. Jensen, Borowski - Micoud - Klose, Valdez (72. Klasnic); auf der Bank: Vander, Lagerblom, van Damme
Goals: 0:1 Micoud (4.), 0:2 Micoud (16.), 0:3 Klose (31.), 1:3 Ahn (41.), 2:3 Ahanfouf (45.), 2:4 Klose (75.), 3:4 Ahanfouf (76.), 3:5 Klasnic (86.)
Referee: Stark (Landshut)
Attendance: MSV-Arena - 23.104 Zuschauer
Yellow cards: Willi, Kurth, Ahanfouf, Möhrle, Bodzek - Borowski, Valdez, Owomoyela
Shots on goal: 17 : 19
Corners: 5 : 4
Crosses: 19 : 15
Possession: 43% : 57%
Tackles won: 51% : 49%
Fouls: 23 : 18
Offsides: 8 : 10
Most individual shots on goal: Ahanfouf (4) – Micoud (6)
Most assists: Bugera (4) – Micoud, Klose (5)
Most individual ball contacts: Bugera (62) – Micoud (83)
Strongest tackler: Meyer (76%) – Schulz (75%)