Werder climb above Wolfsburg at the break

The Green Whites completed the tumultuous first half of the season on a up-note as they defeated Wolfsburg 2-1. With the victory, Werder nudges about Wolfsburg at the break on goal differential and sit a point behind Schalke 04, with BVB a full three points in the distance. With notable absences of Claudio Pizarro, Diego and Hugo Almeida from Thomas Schaaf normal lineup, Werder put their hopes in Aaron Hunt, Said Husejinović, Mesut Özil, Markus Rosenberg and Austrian international Sebastian Prödl against Wolfsburg and pleasantly awarded with quality two-way play.

The match certainly did not start in too favourable of a fashion for Werder fans as only three minutes in Zvjezdan Misimović's corner was pounded into the net by Christian Gentner to give Wolfsburg the 1-0 lead. Following the goal handicap Thomas Schaaf's side put on a clinic on how to defend the attack-happy Wolfsburg and twenty-four minutes later the match was level as Mesut Özil free-kick was re-directed in by Per Mertesacker. The German U21 Özil pace and creativity was the catalyst of the winning goal at the sixty-third minute as after racing down the pitch his cross bounced off the Wolfsburg skipper Josué and into the net. With the lead now, the motivated Werder side were relentless and barely provided Wolfsburg room to breath and the match ended with a brilliant 2-1 victory.

Following the match Thomas Schaaf said:

“That wasn’t just a win born of hard work, there were periods when we passed the ball around very well. Unfortunately our finishing wasn’t so impressive. We could and should have scored a third goal, which really would have settled us. Towards the end they forced us well back but maybe we were just running on empty after the game on Tuesday.”