A happy home debut at the Weser Stadium for Werder. On the second match day of the season the Green-Whites beat Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2:1 (1:1). Paul Freier put the guests in front with a spot kick after Petri Pasanen had brought down Kießling in the box (15'). Again it was Miroslav Klose who began the turn about for Werder with an equalising header from a free-kick (26'). It took until the 77th minute for substitute Hugo Almeida to finish off a wonderful counter attack through Torsten Frings and Diego to give Werder the 2:1 victory.

Werder began the tie with one change to the side which beat Hanover 4:2 last weekend. Leon Andreasen filled in for the injured Naldo (thigh) alongside Petri Pasanen at the centre of defence.

Early penalty for Leverkusen

The Green-Whites began the tie as the fans love to see them – pressurising and attacking. As early as the fourth minute Werder had two chances to take the lead. From a Klasnic pass Tim Borowski brought a save from 04 Keeper Jörg Butt and seconds later Miroslav Klose whacked a cross from Pierre Womé over the bar on the volley.

With ten minutes played, the guests from the Rhein found their way into the game and created their first chance on goal through Barnetta. Somewhat surprisingly though it way Bayer who took the early lead. Kießling broke into the box from the left and was caught by Pasanen as he went in for the tackle – penalty. The impressive Paul Freier took on the task and made it 1:0 for the visitors. In the following period Leverkusen dominated and could have extended their lead with a chance from Kießling (21’).

Quick reply from Klose

Just as surprisingly as the lead came the equaliser for the home side. Diego swung a free-kick into the box from the left and Klose climbed higher than Ramelow to head home from four meters out – 1:1 (26’). Now the game was wide open and so the play swung back and forth. Three minutes later the 39,600 in the stadium were prepared for another celebration as Diego put Klose through with a clever back heel but the German ‘Footballer of the Year’ missed the target by inches from close range. At the other end the Leverkusen attack were causing problems for the Werder defence. Freier’s cross found no takers (30’) and both Barnetta (36’) and Kießling (40’) blew their chances to put the guests back in front.

After the break it was the current crowd favourite Diego who pleased his fans with an attempted over-head kick from 16 meters which Butt managed to turn away (47’). Hugo Almeida, who came for Ivan Klasnic, showed soon after his introduction the power which he possesses with a 25 meter drive which unfortunately missed the target (52’).

Post spares renewed deficit

When the ‘Factory Club’ did put the pressure on they looked extremely dangerous. Kießling came agonisingly close after a pass from Freier (54’) but Sergej Barbarez came even closer, after winning a sprint against Clemens Fritz, the new Bayer signing saw his shot spring away from the post (65’). With twenty minutes to go, a sign of life from the home team. Klose laid off to Almeida who missed the target from a meter out – luckily for the striker, the effort wouldn’t have counted as the Portugese international was in an offside position.

It was a counter attack in their own stadium that eventually sealed the tie for Werder. Torsten Frings set Diego on his way and the Brazilian went past three opponents before putting in a cross to the far post. Hugo Almeida was lying in wait and pushed the ball over the line from a meter away – successfully this time – to make it 2:1 for Werder. That was to be the final score with Werder missing out on a couple of further chances and Bayer only creating two unconvincing efforts through Madouni (84’) and Freier (90’).

Johnnie Muldoon

Werder Bremen- Bayer Leverkusen 2:1

Werder Bremen: Wiese - Fritz, Andreasen (56. Jensen), Pasanen, Womé - Baumann (72. Schulz) - Frings, Borowski - Diego - Klose, Klasnic (46. Almeida)

Bayer Leverkusen: Butt - Castro, Haggui (73. Callsen-Bracker), Madouni, Stenman (86. Athirson) - Ramelow, Rolfes - Freier, Barbarez, Barnetta (80. Voronin) - Kießling

Goals: 0:1 Freier (15., Foulelfmeter), 1:1 Klose (26.), 2:1 Almeida (77.)

Referee: Stark (Landshut)

Attendance: Weser-Stadion, 39.600 spectators

Yellow cards: Pasanen, Borowski, Almeida – Haggui, Freier

Shots on goal: 19 : 18

Corners: 8 : 13

Crosses: 17 : 16

Possession: 49% : 51%

Challenges won: 46% : 54%

Fouls: 19 : 17

Offsides: 4 : 3

Most shots on goal: Diego (5) – Freier (5)

Most assists: Frings (6) – Barbarez (6)

Most individula possession: Womé (76) – Barbarez (75)

Strongest tackler: Fritz (72%) – Freier (64%)