Werder Bremen’s dreams of a fifth German championship are over. Following a 1:2 home defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt on the third match day of the season Werder had to bury their hopes of a title for another year.
Werder Bremen’s dreams of a fifth German championship are over. Following a 1:2 home defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt on the third match day of the season Werder had to bury their hopes of a title for another year.
Werder Bremen’s dreams of a fifth German championship are over. Following a 1:2 home defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt on the third match day of the season Werder had to bury their hopes of a title for another year.
Werder went behind to a goal from Ioannis Amanatidis after just 13 minutes but Aaron Hunt combined with Markus Rosenberg to level things up before the break. Despite Werder’s superiority, it was a Naldo own goal that decided the tie in Frankfurt’s favour (69’).
Returning after suspension, both Naldo and Aaron Hunt were back in the starting eleven for the home side with the Brazilian slotting back in at the heart of the defence and the speedy youngster taking up a position on the left side of the midfield meaning Patrick Owomoyela and Christian Schulz were forced back to the bench.
Putting on the pressure
Bremen made the more impressive start against a defensive Eintracht side and had the chance to open the scoring after just seconds. Hunt tricked his way past two defenders on the left and fed the ball through to Diego at the edge of the box were the Brazilian shot way over the bar. Eintracht stood very deep in the opening minutes, allowing the home side to come at them. The visitors often opted for the physical option as when Huggel forced Diego to the ground and Vasoskis tug at Rosenberg’s shirt could have both led to penalties for Werder.
Unlucky 13 minutes
It was another debatable decision that angered the 42,100 Werder fans on 13 minutes. Ochs sent Amanatidis on his way towards the Werder goal with a long ball and Petri Pasanen found himself caught out of position and unable to catch the pacy Greek who cleverly chipped the advancing Tim Wiese to make it 0:1.
It was a shock for the Werder side who in turn set about immediately regressing the damage. Klose hit the outside netting directly from the re-start when a pass into the middle to the better positioned Hunt or Diego would have been the better option. The home side had more of the play but it was the visitors who had the better of the chances. Köhler had a shot go just over the crossbar from distance not long after Tim Wiese was forced to leave his goal line to head clear with Amanatidis advancing towards goal.
Hunt throws a life line
Luck at one end of the pitch was followed by celebrations at the other. Hunt again combined with Markus Rosenberg to score Werder’s equalizer and again raise the Werder fans hopes of taking the title. Those hopes could have been increased yet further had Diego finished off his move and passing efforts with Rosenberg and Womé. The Brazilian had beaten the keeper but a Frankfurt defender had gotten back to clear off the line.
The home side went into the break with their title aspirations still very much intact with Schalke trailing in Dortmund (0:1) and Stuttgart behind against Bochum (1:2). The ultimate chance for Werder to turn the championship tides in their favour. Werder were ready to take the second half to Frankfurt.
Naldo’s own goal sinks Bremen
It was a frustrating lack of ideas that saw the Green-Whites fail to make use of their superiority and take the lead. Bremen attempts were all too transparent to really threaten the Frankfurt defence. Not even the introductions of Daniel Jensen and Hugo Almeida could change Werder’s fate.
It was all coming together in the Eintracht ranks with Funkel’s eleven stemming the Green-White flow. Fink took on a cross from Streit and rounded Wiese before sliding the ball across the face of the goal where Naldo beat Takahara to the ball but turned it over his own goal line to make it 1:2 in Frankfurt’s favour.
It was a goal to mark Werder Bremen’s fifth home defeat of the season and the end of their hopes of taking the title. Frankfurt could celebrate avoiding the drop as Werder shook their hung heads in vain. Despite an unforgettable season of games, goals and wins Bremen were going to finish 2006/2007 empty handed.
