Werder Bremen failed to hold a first half lead in losing 2-1 in their away match against Schalke 04 on the 11th game day of the Bundesliga. After seven points in their last three matches, things look good...
Werder Bremen failed to hold a first half lead in losing 2-1 in their away match against Schalke 04 on the 11th game day of the Bundesliga. After seven points in their last three matches, things look good...
Werder Bremen failed to hold a first half lead in losing 2-1 in their away match against Schalke 04 on the 11th game day of the Bundesliga. After seven points in their last three matches, things look good for the Green-Whites after Aaron Hunt's goal to make it 1-0. But Roman Neustädter and Julian Draxler scored in the second half for Schalke as Werder remained on 14 points.
Mielitz super save
Werder head coach Thomas Schaaf made one change to his starting lineup with Assani Lukimya starting next to Sokratis at centre back in place for Sebastian Prödl. Werder keeper Sebastian Mielitz was forced into a great save after just 38 seconds, stopping Klaas Jan Huntelaar from three yards out to keep the Green-Whites in the game early on.
Hunt scores opener
Bremen found their way into the game after the early struggles and took the lead on their first chance in the 16th minute. Huntelaar lost the ball in the midfield with Eljero Elia reacting quickly and passing forward to Zlatko Junuzovic for a pass onto Hunt, who struck a fine ball just inside the far right corner for a 1-0 advantage.

Sokratis and De Bruyne unlucky
Nils Petersen missed a chance for a 2-0 lead a minute later but could not take advantage of his opportunity. The Green-Whites continued to dominate play and were unlucky in the 30th minute with Sokratis' header off a corner going off the crossbar. Kevin De Bruyne also found only the framework 60 seconds later with a shot from 16 yards going off the crossbar. Still, Schaaf's men went into the break ahead 1-0 at the break.
Equaliser by Neustädter
Schaaf did not make any change at half-time but the Green-Whites could not win control of the match - though Schalke were not dominating. But the hosts equalised 1-1 after 59 minutes as Neustädter's header off Christian Fuchs' free kick went just over Mielitz's out-stretched hand into the far left corner.
Counter goal by Draxler
Schaaf made a substitute after 67 minutes with Niclas Füllkrug coming on for Elia. And the 19-year-old Füllkrug was close to giving Bremen the lead two minutes later but Schalke keeper Unnerstall made a fine save. And the save turned into a counter attack goal as Schalke rushed forward and Jermaine Jones fed Draxler, who struck a left-foot shot past Mielitz to the far right post to give the hosts a 2-1 lead after 69 minutes.
Gebre Selassie shot saved at line
Mielitz kept the Green-Whites close with a save on Draxler in the 84th minute and a Schalke goal a minute later was disallowed as Lewis Holtby was ruled offside. Holtby saved the day for Schalke four minutes into injury time, heading away at the line Theodor Gebre Selassie's heel kick off a corner to preserve the win for the hosts. And Werder were left wondering what if.
