Werder Bremen lost thir Champions League opener for the 2006/2007 season 2:0 (1:0) against Chelsea in London. Michael Essien put the home side ahead after a mistake by Petri Pasanen (24'). In the 68th minute Michael Ballack doubled the Chelsea lead from the penalty spot after Clemens Fritz pushed over Didier Drogba in the box.
There was relief for Werder just before the kick-off – Miroslav Klose, who had been complaining of thigh problems over the past few days fought back the pain was able to play from the start at Stamford Bridge. Veteran goalkeeper Andreas Reinke filled in for the ill Tim Wiese and Ivan Klasnic got the nod this time up front ahead of Hugo Almeida.
Committed but harmless
Chelsea’s ensemble of stars were in the mood to impress right from the outset and showed signs of their determination to take the first three points with a header from Drogba going close after just seven minutes. Werder attempted the maintain the high tempo match and battled determinedly but without ever really creating a threat to the Chelsea goal. Again and again Werder ried their luck through the middle but with a tight midfield of Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Claude Makelele and Michael Ballack their was little chance of finding a gap. The equally name worthy back four of the London side never really appeared to be troubled by the combined efforts of Werder’s ‘K and K’ strike force.
Then the hosts took the lead in the 24th minute. After a break forward by Frank Lampard, Petri Pasanen appeared to have cleared the ball but then slipped and gifted the ball to Essien who slipped the ball past a desperately exposed Reinke to make it 1:0 from 13 meters.
Werder recovered from the shock of going behind to an unnecessary goal but failed to make any inroads into the heart of the Chelsea defence before half-time. Miroslav Klose did manage to get a shot away having tricked his way past John Terry but new signing Khalid Boulahrouz blocked the effort to turn it away for a corner.
Crossbar saves Chelsea
After the break Chelsea took a back seat and allowed their German visitors to come at them. And Werder came! In the 54th minute, Torsten Frings, again one of Werder’s most active and best, curled in a cross onto the head of Miro Klose who couldn’t guide his header back on goal and missed the target by several feet. Tim Borowski tried his luck from distance and came much closer (56’). Diego put a directly struck shot over the crossbar (60’) and at the other end Drogba could only find the side netting with a stunningly taken volley (62’).
It was Werder’s best phase of the game and the one during which they looked most likely to break down the Chelsea stronghold. In particular in the 65th minute when Klose rose again to meet a perfectly weighted Frings cross and left goalkeeper Peter Cech totally helpless but was denied by the width of the crossbar – desperately bad luck for the World Cup ‘Golden-Boot’ winner.
Ballack decides the tie
In what was almost the direct reply from the Londoners, Greek referee Vassaras pointed to the penalty spot in favour of the home team. Clemens Fritz appeared to nudge Didier Drogba off the ball and the referee didn’t hesitate. Michael Ballack took on the responsibility and hammered the ball unstoppably into the top right corner of the net (68’).
Werder, who had since exchanged a poor Ivan Klasnic with Hugo Almeida and later introduced Mohamed Zidan as a third striker, bravely fought on but were sadly defeated. Chelsea could have given his side a third late on but was, luckily for the German side, denied by the post (80’). A third would have been far more than Chelsea had deserved on the night against an ever battling Green-White opponent.
Johnnie Muldoon