On the crest of their Champions League wave, Werder Bremen continued where they left off as they returned to the daily reality of the Bundesliga. On the 15th match day of the season, Bremen beat Armenia Bielefeld 3:0 (2:0) at the Weser Stadium. A 40,800 strong crowd saw goals from Miroslav Klose (29’/45’) and Aaron Hunt (75’) get the goals for the Green-Whites who stay hot on the heals of league table leaders Schalke 04. It was the first time in eight games that Armenia left the pitch empty handed.

Trainer Thomas Schaaf was forced into making one essential change to the side which beat Chelsea 1:0 on Wednesday night. The position of playmaker was left open due to the suspension of Diego, who last weekend picked up his fifth yellow card of the season. Tim Borowski moved into the position behind the strikers with Christian Schulz getting a start in the first eleven on the left side of midfield. For the rest, the coach was happy to stick with the side which sent the English champions packing.

Bielfeld with an organised start

With the exception of a header in the first minute from Miroslav Klose , which landed on the roof of the net, Werder had problems during the opening phases against a well drilled Bielefeld side. Daniel Jensen had the next opportunity after a quarter hour with a scissors kick which was blocked down by Heiko Westermann at the last moment (17’). The visitors were not contented to remain in their own half of the pitch and when they broke looked dangerous themselves. From ten meters out, Artur Wichniarek hit the outside netting (19’). A shot from his strike partner Christian Eigler, from a position on the left, was luckily deflected just wide of the post by Per Mertesacker (24’).

Werder decided to turn op the tempo and it was only right full-back Bernd Korzynietz standing on the back post that could stop the home side taking the lead, clearing a Hugo Almeida header off the goal line (28’). The defender was helpless a minute later though as Almeida slipped a ball through to Miroslav Klose, who slipped two defenders to place the ball an inch past the keepers standing leg and make it 1:0 (29’).

The World Cup golden boot winner came close to doubling the Werder lead soon after with a lob after a pass from Daniel Jensen but this time keeper Mathias Hain was on hand to save Bielefeld (39’). Klose then did make it 2:0 before the break. Hain was only able to parry a low drive from Almeida and Klose was quickest to react and he chipped the balling very cleverly against the direction of the keepers run into the corner of the net – brilliant (45’).

Cruise control

Bielefeld were rocked by the second goal and after the break there was only one side in the game. Almeida came agonisingly close with a header in the 48t minute and a minute later it was Borowski whose luck was out, as was Christian Schulz’s on the hour. Two excellent saves from Hain, first from Klose (68’) and then from Borowski (74’), prevented Werder extending their lead yet further but the keeper could do nothing to prevent the imminent third goal.

Miro Klose headed a Pierre Womé delivery back across the box where substitute Aaron Hunt was on hand to score, albeit at the second attempt (75’). The score could have been higher but again Hain denied Borowski and Naldo before Daniel Jensen struck the post in the final minute. It was a strong Werder performance at the end of a classic week in the history of the green-Whites and confidence is high on the Weser.

Johnnie Muldoon