In the first leg of the round of the last 32 teams in the UEFA-Cup, Werder Bremen have played themselves into a fantastic position for the second leg against Ajax Amsterdam. In front of a 38,150 strong crowd in the capacity filled Weser Stadium, the Green-Whites beat the 29 time Dutch champions 3:0 (0:0) to set themselves up to proceed in the competition. Per Mertesacker (48’), Naldo (54’) and Torsten Frings (71’) all got on the score sheet for Bremen whilst Ajax Amsterdam were left playing with ten men after Olaf Lindenbergh saw red in the 24th minute.

Thomas Schaaf kept faith in his side, making only one change to the team which was so heavily defeated in Stuttgart at the weekend. Tim Borowski, still suffering from a foot injury picked up at VfB, was replaced in the midfield by Jurica Vranjes in the starting eleven. The Croatian slotted into the defensive midfield position in front of the back four, with Torsten Frings moving out to the right flank. Daniel Jensen played the respective roll on the left.

Naldo strikes the post

Bremen came agonisingly close to making a perfect start to the tie. Following a foul on Vranjes, Naldo stepped up to hammer the resulting free-kick against the left post from 24 meters out. Miroslav Klose got a foot to the ball, which had rebounded back into play, but was unable to make a clean connecting and the Ajax keeper Maarten Stekelenburg was able to gather (4’). A very concentrated Werder side were able to create further chances for themselves in the opening phase. The Dutch keeper did well to get down low and save from Jensen (5’). An Aaron Hunt header (8’) and then a shot from distance (14’) by the young striker proved slightly off target.

Ajax had only a physical answer for the pressure being heaped upon them by the home side. Referee Lucilio Cardoso Cortez Batista from Portugal brandished the yellow card for a foul by Lindenburgh on Clemens Fritz (21’). The Ajax midfielder then, just three minutes later, hacked down Torsten Frings on the edge of the box, leaving the referee no chance but to produce a second yellow for Lindenburgh and Ajax were reduced to ten men with just 24 minutes played. The resulting free-kick saw Gabri clearing artistically for a corner from a Frings effort which was bound for Hunt.

Werder could make little use of the numerical advantage before the break. Ajax stood deep and left Werder little room to maneuver. A wild swipe by Donald, seven meters from the Werder goal (38’) was the only goal mouth incident in front of Tim Wiese in the first half whereas the Green-Whites again came close to taking a half-time lead with a Miroslav klose headed effort.

Two Frings corners lead to goals

The second half was only barely under way before Werder took a well deserved lead. Stekelenburg was able to turn a shot from distance by Diego away for a corner (47’). Torsten Frings swung in the dead ball from the right, to which the keeper blocked away with an outstretched foot, but only as far as Per Mertesacker who drove the ball back goal wards to make it 1:0 for the Green-Whites (48’). Werder kept the pressure up and a second corner by Frings lead to a second goal as Naldo rose to head on goal. Vurnon Anita’s attempt to clear was deemed to be too late by the referee and his assistant who decided the ball had indeed crossed the line in it’s entirety – 2:0 for Werder (54’).

Werder’s Brazilian centre-half came close to making it three with a header which proved just off target (56’). The visitors were willing to take some risks at this point and were almost rewarded for their brevity. Hedwiges Maduro was denied by Tim Wiese from just six meters out (59’). Hunt let a shot go and frustratingly saw his effort, from a tight angle, flash across the face of the goal (63’). Werder did then make it 3:0 with a counter attack through Klose, who unselfishly played the ball square to Frings who hammered the ball low from 14 meters out which made it 3:0 for the home side, despite the best efforts of Johnny Heitinga to turn the ball away (71’).

Wiese was again called upon to make a reaction save from a Wesley Sneijder distance effort (86’), denying the Ajaciden a consolation goal. The three goal difference appeared in itself quite flattering by the end as a tiring Ajax began to falter. Diego first hit the outer netting (76’) and then the crossbar with a powerful shot from close range. Substitute Hugo Almeida also had a number of chances to add to the Werder lead with a couple of headers, one of which striking the outside of the upright (84’) and a low struck shot which Stekelenburg was able to parry away (90’ +2). A deserved win and three goal cushion for Werder to take to Amsterdam but one they know could have been far greater.