SV Werder Bremen and 1. FSV Mainz 05 played out a 1-1 draw on matchday 27 in the Bundesliga. Julian Baumgartlinger put the visitors in front, but Claudio Pizarro’s 101st league goal for Werder ensured the scores were level at the break. Despite periods of dominance and chances to clinch the victory, Viktor Skripnik’s men had to settle for just a point.
Line-up and tactics: The SVW boss made three changes to the side beaten in Munich last week. Captain Clemens Fritz and Zlatko Junuzovic returned following their yellow-card suspensions, while Claudio Pizarro was fit again having missed out against Bayern. The trio replaced Sambou Yatabaré, Milos Veljkovic and Alejandro Gálvez. The Green-Whites lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Bartels and Öztunali on the flanks and Junuzovic the playmaker ahead of the pivot of Fritz and Grillitsch.
11th minute: The first shot of the game comes from SVW. Junuzovic is awarded a free kick and curls it just wide of the post. Werder look to be on top in the early stages, with only a lack of accuracy in the final third keeping them from having a clear-cut opportunity. The visitors from Mainz can only threaten on the counter, sitting very deep in their own half.
15th minute: Djilobodji with the first big chance. The centre back rises highest from a corner, but his header on goal is too central and Karius has no problems parrying it to safety.
27th minute: Mainz come out of their shell a little, but Vestergaard and Djilobodji are on hand to quell any danger. Werder, on the other hand, are moving the ball about well, but look to be lacking ideas in the danger zone.
31st minute: So close to the opener! Grillitsch finds Pizarro on the left-hand side of the box. The Peruvian pulls it back into the centre looking for Bartels, but Hack just nicks the ball off his foot.
38th minute: Goal for Mainz 05. A rough challenge in midfield dispossesses Clemens Fritz and Malli breaks away down the right wing. His low cross sits up for Baumgartlinger on the penalty spot and the Austrian slots the ball home. It’s the Zerofivers’ first real attack, but Werder can take heart from the fact that they have dictated the play so far.
45th minute: GOOOAAALLL for SVW! Pizarro converts from the spot to rewrite the history books. Junuzovic had controlled the ball with his chest on the edge of the box before being wrestled to the ground by Baumgartlinger. The new record Bundesliga goalscorer for Werder kept his cool to send the keeper the wrong way from twelve yards and ensure it’s 1-1 at the break.
52nd minute: Werder with early momentum in the second 45. Once again it’s Junuzovic with the first shot of the half. Bartels and Grillitsch do well to win the ball back and the former feeds the Austrian, but he doesn’t connect with his shot from the edge of the box properly.
60th minute: Fine save from Wiedwald! Jhon Cordoba turns Brosinski’s cross from the right goalwards, but our number one reacts superbly to push it away.
75th minute: Into the closing stages and the Green-Whites are still searching for the killer pass needed to open up Mainz. There’s not much space to work with in and around the box, but there’s still enough time to make something happen.
81st minute: Fritz has a pop from distance, but his effort flies high and away from goal. Ujah and Lorenzen have since come on for Öztunali and Pizarro to give some fresh legs to the SVW attack.
86th minute: First Gebre Selassie with the chance, then Bartels - neither of them find the target though. Werder are pushing for the winner, but have to be wary of Mainz’s counterattacks.
90th minute: Full time! Werder fought hard, but it wasn’t to be. SVW and Mainz share the points in Bremen.
Summary: Having dominated the stats, a draw perhaps isn’t quite enough for Werder. Nevertheless, Skripnik’s men were set up well against a fairly conservative Mainz side, albeit without creating too many concrete goalscoring opportunities. When called upon, Felix Wiedwald was on hand to ensure the Zerofivers didn’t steal the three points with their counterattacks in the second half.
