Borussia-Park was in full song as Die Fohlen unleashed a torrid attack to defeat visiting Werder Bremen 5-0 in match-day thirteen of the Bundesliga campaign. With the result Borussia Mönchengladbach climbed to second place with the Grün-Weißen nestling at the fifth spot.

With both in hot pursuit of league leader Bayern München, the contest had all the makings of a classic but quickly turned into a slaughterhouse target practice. Lucien Favre’s resurgent side wasted little time in asserting their domain as one minute shy of the quarter-hour as coming via a quick assualt the ball was played back to Juan Arango on the left flank from Marco Reus on the by-line, who then deftly crossed for Patrick Herrmann to nod in at the near post. A scant nine minutes later Marco Reus burst up the centre of the pitch, deftly out maneouvering Austrian international Sebastian Prödl before slotting the ball past goalkeeper Tim Wiese from thirteen metres. Six minutes shy of the break the Borussia faithful were in full song as their side was well on their way to their ten consecutive victory as Patrick Herrmann launched a quick assault on the left before laying the ball off the Marco Reus, who send delivered a perfect chip to treble the advantage before the break.

If Werder was hopeful of a dramatic comeback that was snuffed out six minutes after the break as Tim Wiese smartly saved Mike Hanke’s effort from the left but Marco Reus poached on the rebound to smash the ball in from just inside the area. Two minutes later the contest was fait accompli as coming via a quick assault on the left, Tim Wiese’s stop rebounded beyond the area where Juan Arango drilled the ball past the helpless ‘keeper. In the final-quarter hour Sokratis Papastathopoulos was sent off with his second yellow-card, forcing Werder to play with personnel disadvantage for the balance of the day but it mattered little as Borussia Mönchengladbach eased to a remarkable 5-0 victory.

Prepared by John Davies
©Europa League News, 2011
All rights reserved

Die Grün-Weißen rebounded from their opening week loss in the hinrude to 1899 Hoffenheim with a flourishing 4-2 triumph over Köln at the Weserstadion, courtesy of Austrian international Marko Arnautović two goals.

Thomas Schaaf, juggling his line-up from the opening day of the Bundesliga, summoned Marko Arnautović, Sebastian Boenisch and German international Marko Marin into the starting eleven for Petri Pasanen, Aaron Hunt and Hugo Almeida. Die Geißböcke, who succumbed to Kaiserslautern in match day one, saw manager Zvonimir Soldo make one change to his line-up with Kevin Pezzoni entering for Youssef Mohamad.

After an adventurous start, Werder got the break they were looking for when match-day referee Marco Fritz adjudged Petit a penalty for fouling Marko Marin in the area. Without fail, Torsten Frings stepped up to the spot and hammed the ball into the back of the net to give Werder the 1-0 lead. A scant three minutes later, Wien-native Marko Arnautović nodded in Claudio Pizzaro’s scrumptious provision to pull the hosts in front by two. If Werder had thoughts of running away with the affair, Lukas Podolski quickly scuttled those plans as he pulled Köln to within a goal a minute later with a fine header of his own. Werder’s efforts were dampened quickly thereafter as Hugo Almeida trotted in for injured Claudio Pizarro five mintues shy of the break.

At the re-start the Köln tactician called upon Fabrice Ehret for Stephan Salger as his side went on the hunt of the leveller. However, Werder was staunch in their defending and met the visitors with a curmudgeonly stance, giving no ground. Sixteen minutes prior to the end of regulation, Werder restored its two-goal margin as Hugo Almeida
re-directed Marko Arnautović cross past Köln goalkeeper Faryd Mondragón. As time wound down, Marko Arnautović added to his impressive day with a goal-bound drive from thirteen metres and though Kevin McKenna notched a consolation marker in the third minute of added-time for the visitors, nothing could deter Werder Bremen’s celebration as they laid claim to a 4-2 victory.

Prepared by J. Davies
©Europa League News, 2010.
All rights reserved

Werder Bremen continued their push towards the Champions League with a 2-0 defeat of Schalke 04 in Gelsenkirchen. With the result, Werder sits third in the Bundesliga table, two points above Bayer 04 Leverkusen, whilst Schalke hold down the second spot.

In front of a capacity crowd, Schalke came out quickly with Kevin Kurányi, on the verge of moving to Dinamo Moskva, nodding Rafinha’s cross off the woodwork midway of the half. The striker later missed sending Jefferson Farfán’s provision into the net and the match went to the break scoreless.

At the restart, Werder came out with a fire burning in its heart and grabbed the lead they would not relinquish five minutes shy of the hour as Mesut Özil outmaneuvered Schalke defenders before hammering the ball past Manuel Neuer from fifteen metres. Die Grün-Weißen doubled its lead nine minutes as lead as Edu gave up the ball, with Mesut Özil capitalizing and sending a cross from the right side of area that Hugo Almeida turned in from six metres. For the balance of time, Thomas Schaaf’s side clamped down the affair and claimed the 2-0 victory.

Holding a narrow two-point advantage at third place, Werder welcomes Hamburg at Weserstadion next Saturday in the final match of the campaign.

Prepared by J. Davies
©Europa League News, 2010.
All rights reserved

Werder Bremen continued its climb towards a Champions League spot with a 1-0 victory over Köln at Weserstadion via an added time strike by Torsten Frings. With the result, Werder maintains third in the Bundesliga, whilst Köln nestles in at the twelfth spot.

From the opening whistle, Köln locked down the affair with a compact defensive stance to which Werder showed little ability to unlock. Just past the half-hour, Köln goalkeeper Thomas Kessler made a top shelf stop Claudio Pizarro’s header off Mesut Özil and then dealt with Torsten Frings’ effort from the rebound. For the balance of the half, the visitors shut down Werder’s efforts and the match went to the break scoreless.

After the break, Werder continued to push forward but once again the young ‘keeper shone brightly with sublime saves on Naldo and Marco Marin. Hugo Almeida, who had come in for Aaron Hunt at the break, came close with an effort the whisked over the crossbar at the hour. With eighteen minutes remaining, Milivoje Novakovič accepted Fabrice Ehret’s cross and sent it off the crossbar. Looking like the match was going to end as a draw, Werder got the break they were waiting for as Pedro Geromel was shown a red-card for handling the ball at the line and a penalty was awarded. In the subsequent effort, Torsten Frings converted from the spot to give the Grün-Weißen the 1-o victory.
Werder Bremen continued its climb towards a Champions League spot with a 1-0 victory over Köln at Weserstadion via an added time strike by Torsten Frings. With the result, Werder maintains third in the Bundesliga, whilst Köln nestles in at the twelfth spot.

From the opening whistle, Köln locked down the affair with a compact defensive stance to which Werder showed little ability to unlock. Just past the half-hour, Köln goalkeeper Thomas Kessler made a top shelf stop Claudio Pizarro’s header off Mesut Özil and then dealt with Torsten Frings’ effort from the rebound. For the balance of the half, the visitors shut down Werder’s efforts and the match went to the break scoreless.

After the break, Werder continued to push forward but once again the young ‘keeper shone brightly with sublime saves on Naldo and Marco Marin. Hugo Almeida, who had come in for Aaron Hunt at the break, came close with an effort the whisked over the crossbar at the hour. With eighteen minutes remaining, Milivoje Novakovič accepted Fabrice Ehret’s cross and sent it off the crossbar. Looking like the match was going to end as a draw, Werder got the break they were waiting for as Pedro Geromel was shown a red-card for handling the ball at the line and a penalty was awarded. In the subsequent effort, Torsten Frings converted from the spot to give the Grün-Weißen the 1-o victory.

Prepared by J. Davies
©Europa League News, 2010.
All rights reserved

Werder Bremen continued their remarkable climb with a come from behind 4-2 victory over defending champions VfL Wolfsburg at Volkswagen Arena. With the result, Thomas Schaaf’s men move to the third spot in the Bundesliga table, whilst Wolfsburg European hopes seem bleak as they fall to eight.

Die Wölfe went out in-front 1-0 three pasts the quarter-hour as Edin Džeko accepted the provision of his Bosnia and Herzegovina team-mate Zvjezdan Misimović before sending the ball past Werder ‘keeper Tim Wiese. Seven minutes shy of the break, the match was levelled as Torsten Frings scored from the spot after Fabian Johnson brought down Marko Marin in the area. The deadlock did not last long as only two minutes later Zvjezdan Misimović demonstrated his vast play making skills, with the Grafite closing out the opportunity from twelve metres and giving Wolfsburg the 2-1 at the break.

Four minutes after the break, Werder equalized as Claudio Pizarro headed Clemens Fritz’s cross to the back of the net. After Zvjezdan Misimović rasped an effort off the post, Werder went out in front two minutes past the hour as Torsten Frings accepted the ball from Claudio Pizarro and after navigating past Andrea Barzagli scored from close range. Die Grün-Weißen added an insurance market with sixteen minutes remaining in regulation time as Hugo Almeida, per Mesut Özil’s pass volleyed the ball into the back of the net to bring the match to 4-2 final score, in favour of Werder Bremen.

Prepared by J. Davies
©Europa League News, 2010.
All rights reserved

Werder Bremen continued their charge towards the European stage with a 4-0 devouring of relegation threatened SC Freiburg at the Weserstadion. With the victory, Thomas Schaaf’s side sits fifth in the Bundesliga table, only two behind Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the all important third place spot that earns a place in the Champions League, whilst Freiburg at seventeenth.

After the hosts showed attacking venom, Werder went out in front ten minutes shy of the break when Claudio Pizarro latch onto the ball from Naldo and sent it past visiting goalkeeper past Simon Pouplin. Chances were at a premium but Werder continued to make the best of them and the fifty-third minute, following a strong run by Claudio Pizzaro, Aaron Hunt sent the ball in from twelve metres. Three minutes late, the Peruvian striker effectively sent in Mesut Özil left wing cross to bring the score to 3-0. Ten minutes later, Mesut Özil, scored a highlight reel goal as he got past Mensur Mujdza before scoring from acute angle to bring the match to a 4-0 final score.

Prepared by J. Davies
©Europa League News, 2010.
All rights reserved

Borussia Dortmund continued its surge towards a berth in European football with a 2-1 victory over Werder Bremen in front of their customary voracious supporters at Westfalenstadion. With the result BVB holds down fourth in the Bundesliga table, only seven points off Bayern München at the top, whilst Werder are at the fifth spot.

On a beautiful, sunny day in Dortmund the hosts leapt in front at the ninth minute as Kevin Großkreutz, from seven metres out, sent a looping header of Patrick Owomoyela’s cross from the right wing into the net. The match was moving in the BVB’s faviour and midway of the half, Neven Subotić nodded in Mohamed Zidan’s corner from the left to the back of the net to double the margin.

At the break, both sides made adjusts with the Dortmunders ushering Sven Bender for Sebastian Kehl and Werder calling upon Daniel Jensen for Marco Marin. Die Grün-Weißen, after squandering a number of fine chances, brought the match to within one at the sixty-fifth minute as Mesut Özil laid the ball back to Aaron Hunt on the right side of the area with the young German international pounding it to the opposite corner of the net. The goal sparked a wild finish but BVB was up to the challenge and held Werder off to claim the 2-1 victory.

Prepared by J. Davies
©Europa League News, 2010.
All rights reserved

Werder Bremen edged Nürnberg 4-2 at the Weserstadion to continue their race towards the Europa League. With the result, Werder Bremen holds down the fifth position in the Bundesliga table, whilst FCN are balances above the relegation zone at fifteenth.

Die Grün-Weißen took the lead a minute after the opening whistle as Per Mertesacker headed Mesut Özil’s cross to the back of the net. Per Mertesacker doubled the margin at the twentieth minute with his second of the day as he nodded Marko Marin’s corner into the netting. Six minutes past the half-hour, Tim Borowski sent in Marko Marin’s provision to give Werder the 3-0 lead at the beak.

After the break Nürnberg stormed back to make the affair interesting, starting with Mike Frantz’s marker at the forty-eighth minute via Juri Judt supply from the right. FCN continued its surge as three minutes past the hour Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting brought the match to within one from the spot after Clemens Fritz was adjudged a handball. With eight minutes remaining Torsten Frings was sent off with a straight red-card, forcing Werder to play a man down for the remaining time. However, that was as close as it would get and as time wound down Clemens Fritz turned in a defending error to bring the match to a 4-2 finale.

Prepared by J. Davies
©Europa League News, 2010.
All rights reserved

Werder Bremen came from behind to defeat relegation threatened VfL Bochum 3-2 at Weserstadion, thanks to a late rally. With the result Thomas Schaaf’s side climb to the all-important fifth spot, a place in the Europa League, whilst Bochum lingers at fourteenth.

Heading into the match, Werder was troubled without the services of Aaron Hunt and left Torsten Frings, Mesut Özil and Claudio Pizarro out of the starting eleven. After a cautious start, the visitors took the 1-0 lead when Stanislav Šesták latched onto Roman Prokoph’s defence splitting pass before sending into past Werder keeper Tim Wiese a minute shy of the quarter-hour. The match droned on through the break with little consequence to note.

At the restart, Claudio Pizarro and Mesut Özil trotted in for Werder and the impact was noteworthy. Two minutes prior to the hour, the move paid off as Cladio Pizarro volleyed Naldo’s high pass into the back of the net to square the match. However, only five minutes later Bochum regained the lead as Zlatko Dedič, played in on the left channel, deftly sent the ball past the Werder ‘keeper after getting on the end of Lewis Holtby’s pass. The wide-open affair continued and two minutes later, following a nice buildup of play between Mesut Özil and Philipp Bargfrede, Marko Marin drilled the ball from the right side of the area into the back of the net. Die Grün-Weißen notched the winner with nine minutes left as Torsten Frings, who had entered a few moments earlier for an injured Tim Borowski, sent a long effort from well outside the area into the net. Bochum poured forward looking towards the equalizer but following two superb saves by Tim Wiese, the match ended 3-2 in Werder Bremen’s favour.

Werder Bremen returns to play in the DFB Pokal against Augsburg on Tuesday before welcoming Nürnberg in league play on Saturday. Bochum looks to regain their winning form as Eintracht Frankfurt visits in the Friday evening contest.

Prepared by J. Davies
©Europa League News, 2010.
All rights reserved

Werder Bremen’s hopes to reach the quarterfinals of the Europa League concluded, as they were held to 4-4 draw by Valencia in the second leg of their tie at Weserstadion, losing via the away-goal rule.

After a 1-1 draw in the opening leg in Spain, Werder held a modest advantage but quickly that turned as at the second minute David Silva latched onto a poor clearance from Naldo, passed the ball David Villa who subsequently drove it the opposite right. The visitors went in front 2-0 at the quarter hour, as David Silva was once again the architect, providing the ball to Juan Manuel Mata for the perfect finish. Down by two, Werder manager Thomas Schaaf summoned Hugo Almeida midway of the half and a scant four minutes later, the Portuguese international turned in Claudio Pizarro’s to halve the margin. If there was hope for a comeback for the hosts, it took a turn for the worst just before the break as David Silva, once again was at the root of attack, shifting the ball back from the by-line that David Villa hammered into the net from eight metres to give Valencia the 3-1.

Die Grün-Weißen came out with a fire in its eye after the break, knowing three goals was needed and ten minutes after the break, Torsten Frings made it 3-2 from the spot after penalty was awarded when Marko Marin was fouled in the area. Werder showed no quick and seven minutes later Marko Marin received the ball from Mesut Özil and sent his effort, with thanks owing to modest deflection, into the back of the net to level the match as three apiece. In the action packed match, Valencia restored its lead three minutes later as David Villa got on the end of Juan Manuel Mata’s long cross before beating Werder goalkeeper Tim Wiese. Not deterred, Werder once again brought the match level as at the eighty-fourth minute Claudio Pizzaro nodded in Petri Pasanen cross. Knowing it needed a goal to advance, Werder pressed and though Naldo and Markus Rosenberg had fine quality chances, after five minutes of added-time the score read 4-4, resulting in Valencia moving to the next stage of the tournament.

Prepared by J. Davies
©Europa League News, 2010.
All rights reserved