Werder Retain Top Spot - 3:0 Against Hanover

First Team
Monday, 29.01.2007 / 12:59

Werder Bremen have successfully defended their position as league leaders in the Bundesliga. On the 18th match day of the season, the Green-Whites beat Hanover 96 3:0 (1:0) in the north German derby.

Werder Bremen have successfully defended their position as league leaders in the Bundesliga. On the 18th match day of the season, the Green-Whites beat Hanover 96 3:0 (1:0) in the north German derby. Tim Borowski gave Bremen the lead after just five minutes in front of a 42,100 strong crowd at the Weser Stadium. Hugo Almeida (67’) and Per Mertesacker (74’) were also on the score sheet to seal Werder’s fifth league win on the trot.

 

Thomas Schaaf kept faith in the first eleven which had proven so successful at the end of 2006. Pierre Womé got the nod in the left back position ahead of Christian Schulz whilst Aaron Hunt joined Miroslav Klose up front. The German international and World Cup 2006 ‘Golden Boot’ winner was passed fit to play having been laid up with a groin injury in recent weeks.

 

Werder take an early lead

 

“We want to be concentrated and fully alert from the kick-off”, commented trainer Thomas Schaaf before the game. His team took him at his word and used their very first chance to take the lead. Clemens Fritz stole the ball from a nervous Szabolcs Huszti in the midfield and passed to Daniel Jensen. The Dane fed Miroslav Klose who drove to the by-line and chipped a perfect cross to the head of Tim Borowski who was perfectly positioned at the back post to nod the ball home – 1:0 (5’).

 

The visitors were by no means knocked out of their stride by the set back reacted to the deficit with aggressive tackling and controlled passing moves. Jiri Stajner had the first opportunity to equaliser after a pass from Jan Rosenthal but the Czech striker swiped at the ball and miscued poorly (7’). At the other end Hunt had the opportunity to extend the Werder lead as he gathered the ball after a one-two between Fritz and Jensen but the German Under 21 international’s effort was scraped off the line by Hanno Balitsch (17’). Directly on the rebound Werder had the luck on their side. A low driven shot from the edge of the box was deflected by both Clemens Fritz and Torsten Frings before striking the foot of the Werder post (18’).

 

Enke rescues Hanover

 

Werder were finding themselves increasingly pinned back and Naldo was forced to cut out a pass from Stajner which was bound for Arnold Bruggink (22’). The home side appeared happy to patiently await their chances and had their next as Chavdar Yankov played the ball directly to the feet of Torsten Frings in the midfield. Frings played a perfectly weighted pass for Klose to collect and head goal wards but on rounding the advancing Robert Enke the striker stood on the keepers hand and lost his footing. The bulk of the packed Weser Stadium screamed for a penalty but referee Dr. Markus Merk was unimpressed and waved play on (31’).

 

Hanover answered with a strike from Hanno Balitsch which Tim Wiese needed two attempts to gather (32’) and a drive from Jan Rosenthal which just cleared the crossbar (36’). 96 were on a par with the Green-Whites until the break but could have found themselves further behind as Klose broke free again with only Enke to beat. This time it was the keepers flailing left hand that denied Klose marking up his eleventh goal of the season (38’). Two minutes later Hunt came agonisingly close with a curled shot which just missed the target.

 

Werder steal a second

 

After the break Hanover continued to press and Wiese was forced into heroics, turning a Huszti drive from 14 meters away for a corner (46’). Werder continued to prove dangerous on the break but Enke continued to frustrate the home fans saving well from both Borowski (50’/53’) and substitute Hugo Almeida (64’). At the other end Tim Wiese had to scurry back to turn a 35 meter cross-come-shot, which was caught in the wind, from Rosenthal over the bar for a corner (66’). On the rebound, Werder set the scene to take all three points. Klose turned the ball back across the box from the right where Vinicius’ attempted clearance fell kindly for Almeida who made it 2:0 from very close range (67’).

 

Two minutes later Klose was brought down in the box by Dariusz Zuraw and this time there was no question about awarding a penalty. Klose stepped up to take the spot kick himself but Robert Enke continued to impress, spreading himself well to his left to again deny Klose (70’). The Hanover keeper could do little to stop Werder’s third though. Diego swung in a free-kick cross from the left, which Klose got his head to. Enke could only parry the ball away and Per Mertesacker pounced to score on his ex-club (74’). Werder had chances to further extend their lead late on after the introduction of debutant Markus Rosenberg but both Naldo (81’) and Fritz (88’) missed chance to pile yet more misery on a devastated Hanover side.

 

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