German Teams Win
October 19, 2006
German league leaders Werder Bremen kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stage of the Champions League at the expense of holders Barcelona, with a 2-0 Group A win over Bulgaria's Levski Sofia on Wednesday.
Brazilian defender Naldo scored his first-ever Champions League goal on the chime of halftime to put Bremen ahead and Brazilian playmaker Diego clinched the points with a 74th minute effort.
Bremen on par with Barcelona
It was a first group win for Bremen, who are now level on four points with Barcelona. Barcelona lost 1-0 to Chelsea on Wednesday.
"We are in the mix now and have a chance to get through to the next phase," said German international Miroslav Klose. "We have Sofia away and then Chelsea at home. Chelsea are a great team but if we play like we did against Barcelona we are capable of beating them."
Without midfield duo Tim Borowski and Frank Baumann through injury, Bremen lacked drive from midfield, but German international defender Christian Schulz had their first chance with his 24th minute effort whistling wide of the right hand post.
Sofia, who had lost their first two matches against Barcelona and Chelsea, looked set to make it to the half-time break at 0-0 but paid the price for a terrible defensive wall. Naldo drilled a 25 yard free-kick straight through the collapsing wall and the unsighted Sofia goalkeeper had no chance with the ball going in off the inside of the post.
Brazilian playmaker Diego, a summer signing from FC Porto, made a second goal on 74 minutes, and Bremen took the spoils.
Bremen's next European match is away to Sofia on Oct. 31. However, they have a big domestic game Saturday when they face reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
Schweinsteiger turns hero
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich's dismissed midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger turned from hero to villain on Wednesday, when he scored the solo goal in their own Champions League match against Sporting Lisbon.
Schweinsteiger's 19th minute screamer means the Germans are almost certain to qualify from Group B, following this third consecutive victory, barring a dramatic loss of form by Felix Magath's men.
Bavarian defender Daniel van Buyten said afterwards: "We really kept battling in the second half although we were down to 10 men. All the players fought hard and showed good team spirit and we managed to keep possession of the ball and have scoring chances of our own."
Schweinsteiger first made his mark with the goal, following organized buildup play by Bayern. His 30-meter shot rifled past well-beaten Sporting keeper Ricardo for his second goal of the tournament and Bayern's seventh, with none conceded.
Six minutes later Schweinsteiger earned a yellow card, following a challenge on Nani, which paved the way for his exit for a second booking two minutes after the break for a trip on second-half substitute Yannick Djalo.
Schweinsteiger will now miss Bayern's fourth match at home to Sporting in a fortnight where a point for the Germans would suffice to progress.