What a triumphant return for Werder's World cup heroes!! Following a mere eighteen day post World Cup break, Tim Borowski, Miroslav Klose and above all Torsten Frings lead the Green-Whites to a 2:1 win in the League Cup semi-final against arch rivals Hamburg SV. Mohamed Zidan gave the home side the lead after 50 minutes as Miroslav Klose unselfishly put his strike partner through. Twenty minutes later HSV drew level through new man Boubacar Sanogo before the 'Rot Hosen' (red shorts) were reduced to ten men with Nigel de Jong seeing red for a lunge at Torsten Frings. The fouled player won the tie for Werder in the 82nd minute with one of the best goals the tournament has seen.
World Cup heroes and four new men in the starting eleven
Werders German internationals were back in the starting eleven after just five days back in training as were Clemens Fritz, Poerre Womé Mohamed Zidan and Diego who had recovered from a thigh problem. 27,650 spectators saw Werder Bremen make the kind of start to the game that they so often saw last season - dangerous going forward and enjoying their football. Naldo set the scene in the sixth minute. The Brazilian drove a free-kick goalwards which proved too hot to handle for HSV keeper Wächter who could only parry and the resulting flashed volley from Miro Klose zipped inches wide of the far left upright.
The best chance so far for Werder followed thanks to the work of the busy Clemens Fritz down the right. Tim Borowski fed the ex-Leverkusen man who passed on cleverly to Zidan. The Egyptian spun quickly foxing both Demel and Wächter but was stopped at the last second by the sliding Reinhardt (11'). Golden Boot winner Miro Klose rose to meet a Womé cross but could get his header on goal (15').
Reinke denies Guerrero
Werder had then better of the chances until now but it was definately not a one sided north derby. Hamburgs attempts at getting the ball flowing forward proved all too often unprecise. Guerrero caused the first problem for the Werder goal when he got on the end of a long ball in the 19th minute but his shot was turned away by the fast reflexes of Andreas Reinke. From that point both sides took the foot off the pedal and the bulk of the play took place in the centre of the park until the break. Only a fine combination between Frings and Diego looked like breaking the deadlock but the German internationals effort proved just wide of the target (33').
Both Thomas Schaaf and Thomas Doll made one change each during the break. While Schaaf made a direct change bringing Daniel Jensen for Diego, Thomas Doll made a more tacktical switch with Boubacar Sanogo replacing Raphael Wicky - a second striker to support the lone Guerrero up front and give HSV more attacking power. The initial change appeared fruitless with Werder continuing to control the match and were rewarded for their work after 50 minutes. Klose pulled two Hamburg defenders with him before cleverly and selflessly laying off to Zidan in the middle who blasted past Wächter with a controlled left footed shot 1-0.
Sanogo's goal cause of shot HSV celebration
Midway through the second period the visitors raised their game and also reeped their rewards. Substitute Sanogo first cracked a header against the foot of the post (69') but a minute later he left Reinke no chance as he converted a pass from strike partner Guerrero 1:1. The out-come of the tie looked again open until Nigel de Jong left his team-mates with an up-hill battle. The Dutchman sliced at Torsten Frings long after the ball was gone and referee Kinhöfer showed the red card without hesitation.
Frings was at the centre of the action again minutes later but this time with a more positive outcome - at least for the Green-Whites. The tireless World Cup participant profitted from HSV defender Kompany's poor control to strike from 20 meters and bend the ball around defender and keeper into the right corner - a cracker to give Werder a 2:1 lead.
That was to be the last real action of the game and the result means the Green-Whites make the League Cup final at 6pm on Saturday in Leipzig. Werders opponent will be decided on Wednesday night when Bayern Munich play FC Schalke 04 in the second semi-final.
Johnnie Muldoon