Werder Bremen have had to suffer their first defeat on the third match day of the season. The Green-Whites went down 2:0 (1:0) to FC Schalke 04. Kevin Kuranyi put the hosts in front after just seven minutes and the 'Königsblauen' (Royal Blues) extended their lead to 2:0 in the 72nd minute.
Trainer Thomas Schaaf made two changes to the side which beat Bayer Levekusen 2:1 last weekend with Naldo replacing Leon Andreasen and Hugo Almeida getting the nod ahead of Ivan Klasnic.
Early Kuranyi goal
Shalke made a bright start and took an early lead. New signing Lövenkrands crossed from the left straight to the head of Kevin Kuranyi who headed hoe into the bottom right corner past a helpless Tim Wiese - 1:0. Again Werder found themselves behind and again they picked themselves up, as against Leverkusen. The Green-Whites had the lions share of the play but fell short around the goal area. Miroslav Klose did test Frank Rost replacement Manuel Neuer in the Shalke goal but the young keeper was equal to the German internationals effort after Torsten Frings had put him through (19').
When Schalke did break forward they often looked like tearing through the Werder defence. The Green-Whites had Tim Wiese to thank for keeping in the game and keeping the deficit down to one goal before the break. The keeper made two almost unbelieveable saves from Halil Altintop (29') and Lövenkrands (42'). Schalke did have further chances to double their lead through Kuranyi (23') and Altintop (35', 45').
Wiese on top form
After the half time interval it was much of the same withan impressive Lincoln setting Kuranyi through on his own but again Tim Wiese was alert and cleared the danger. Thomas Schaaf decided to try inspire his attack bringing Aaron Hunt for Petri Pasanen (56') and at the same time made a direct defensice swap with Christian Schulz coming for Pierre Womé. Werder had at this stage again the majority of the play and territorial advantage but the reward didn't come. In the 71st minute the coach threw caution to the wind bringing a fourth striker, Mohamed Zidan, for captain Frank Baumann but the decision was to prove fatal.
Hamit Altintop decided the tie
Zidan was barely on the pitch and suddenly the scoreline was 2:0 for Schalke. With Werder still at sixes and sevens trying to compensate the changes, Lincoln picked out Hamit Altintop who clipped the ball home from the right to double Schalkes lead.
Werder refused to lie down but their persistant efforts were to remain fruitless. Almeida did manage to find the net from a Diego free-kick but the Portugese striker had been standing in an offside position (81'). Schalke did hit Bremen on the break on a number of occasions but the score remained 2:0 and Werder again had to leave Gelsenkirchen empty handed.
Johnnie Muldoon
Schalke 04 - Werder Bremen 2:0
Schalke 04: Neuer - Rafinha, Bordon, Rodriguez, Kobiashvili - Ernst, Lincoln, Bajramovic - Halil Altintop (64. Asamoah), Kuranyi (69. Hamit Altintop), Lövenkrands (84. Varela)
Werder Bremen: Wiese - Fritz, Pasanen (56. Hunt), Naldo, Womé (56. Schulz) - Baumann (71. Zidan) - Frings, Borowski - Diego - Klose, Hugo Almeida; auf der On the bench: Reinke, Vranjes, Owomoyela, Klasnic
Goals: 1:0 (7.) Kuranyi, 2:0 (72.) Hamit Altintop
Referee: Kircher (Rottenburg)
Attendance: Veltins-Arena, 61,482 (sold-out)
Yellow cards: Kobiashvili, Ernst, Rafinha – Borowski, Frings, Fritz
Shots on goal: 12 : 8
Corners: 7 : 10
Pssession: 43% : 57%
Challenges won: 51% : 49%
Fouls: 23 : 22
Offsides: 4 : 2
Most shots on goal: Kuranyi (4) – Diego, Almeida (2)
Most assists: Lincoln (7) – Klose (3)
Most individual possession: Lincoln (77) – Naldo (82)
Strongest tackler: Kobiashvili (77%) – Naldo (70%)