Edging ahead
October 15, 2011
Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund edged ahead of Werder Bremen on Friday, winning 2-0 away from home against their rivals in the battle for second place.
Dortmund won despite playing almost all the second half one man down when goalscorer Ivan Perisic was sent off.
Bremen had appeared the stronger side for much of the first half, but it was midfielder Perisic who opened the scoring three minutes before half time. The Croatian rounded defender Sokratis Papastathpoulos to hit a vicious shot that Bremen's stand-in keeper Sebastian Melitz stood no chance of stopping.
However, Perisic was forced to leave the pitch just minutes after the beginning of the second half when he was shown a second yellow card.
The player was booked for a foul on Papastathopoulos, having already received a booking for a wild lunge against the same player.
One man up, two goals down
It was Lukas Schmitz who came closest for Bremen - hitting the underside of the crossbar - but the home team were unable to convert their numerical advantage into a goal.
In fact, Dortmund were able to add to their lead when Bremen's defense failed to clear the ball properly in the 71st minute. As defender Mats Hummels headed the ball back into the six-yard box, Dortmund's Patrick Owomoyela was on hand to score from close range.
"We defended very well, we had a little bit of luck and I think we deserved it," said Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp. "We had hoped that the table would look the way it does this evening."
The victory leaves Dortmund in second place, level on points with both Bremen and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
In Saturday's soccer, table leaders Bayern Munich play host to Hertha Berlin with Mönchengladbach at home to Bayer Leverkusen. Dortmund take on Greek side Olympiakos in Champions League football action next Wednesday.
Richard Connor (APE, dpa, Reuters)
Editor: Matt Zuvela