Outstanding Diego Helps Werder Past Udinese

Werder Bremen 3-1 Udinese

Markus Rosenberg didn’t make it to the starting for Werder Bremen due to his injury. The Swede was replaced by Portuguese striker Hugo Almeida. For the guests, long term injury concern Antonio di Natale was replaced by talented youngster Alexis Sanchez.

First Half

Udinese start the match with attacking intentions, but the first chance of the match is for the hosts. Brazilian playmaker Diego sent in a perfect corner kick in the direction of Torsten Frings, but the midfielder hesitated too long to get a shot on target.

The Italian outfit got their first chance of the match after 15 minutes of play. Fabio Quagliarella controlled a long ball and immediately set up Christian Zapata. However, the right back lost possession too easy and the chance went wandering.

Hugo Almeida beat the offside trap halfway the first half and tried to reach fellow attacker Claudio Pizarro with a left footed cross. Maurizio Domizzi was alert though and cleared the ball before the Peruvian forward got to the ball.

Alexandros Tziolos went by a number of opponents minutes later and looked dangerous. Nevertheless, Giovanni Pasquale dispossessed the Greek before he could test Udinese goalie Samir Handanovic for the first time in the match.

Once again Quagliarella cause the Werder defense all kinds of trouble around the half hour mark, but the Italian international lacked the support of his team mates to do the damage properly. Bremen goalie Tim Wiese wasn’t troubled too much by his weak effort from a narrow angle.

Brazilian center back Naldo came so close to opening the score for the home side after 31 minutes of play. The defender unleashed a powerful free kick, but his shot from 35 yards came off the woodwork and was eventually cleared into safety.

Juventus target Diego gifted Werder the lead after 34 minutes. The tricky playmaker picked up a loose ball in the final third and got all the time and space he needed to leave Handanovic without a chance with a superb effort.

Towering defender Per Mertesacker fouled Quagliarella five minutes before the break, leaving the referee no chance but to award the Italians a free kick in a dangerous position. Simone Pepe stepped up to test Wiese, but blasted his effort wide and high of the target.

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Second Half

Udinese started the second half brilliantly and Quagliarella should have leveled both sides within two minutes from the break. The forward was set up with a brilliant through pass and chipped Werder shot stopper Wiese with a decent effort. However, his shot went just wide of the post.

Diego stepped up to take a free kick from a dangerous position only minutes later, but his shot deflected off the wall into a corner, which didn’t cause the Udinese defense too much trouble.

Swiss midfielder Gokhan Inler, who was being linked with a move to Arsenal last summer, chipped in a delicate free kick after 56 minutes and found Quagliarella. The latter unleashed a powerful header, but Wiese saved his effort with ease.

Frings tried to test Handanovic twice around the hour mark, but neither of his attempts resulted in a shot on target.

Quagliarella continued to cause the Werder defense all kinds of trouble when he once again escaped the offside trap. The forward tried to chip Wiese, but the German goalie punched the ball away to prevent the equalizer.

The home side doubled their lead in the 67th minute. Diego beat Gaetano d’Agostino to the ball in the area and the Werder star curled the ball in the top right corner, leaving Handanovic without a chance for the second time in the match.

Udinese were hardly recovered from Diego’s blow when Hugo Almeida made it three for the Germans. The Portuguese striker was totally unmarked and calmly placed the ball in the back of the net to help his team to a comfortable 3-0 lead.

Pasquale kept on fighting on the left wing and sent in a dangerous cross after 78 minutes. The German defenders remained alert though and cleared the ball into safety before the Udinese strikers could meet the cross.

Quagliarella was played through for the third time in the match with about ten more minutes to go. The Italian international once again tried to chip the goalie, but his effort sailed inches over the cross bar.

Udinese got another chance to score the important away goal after 86 minutes. D’Agostino stepped up for the free kick and his long range strike looked destined for the top corner. Wiese pulled off an outstanding save though to deny the midfielder.

Udinese’s star player Quagliarella got what he deserved with three more minutes to go. The tricky forward went close on several occasions, but eventually beat Wiese with a powerful effort to score his sixth goal in eight UEFA Cup appearances.

Udinese really did their utmost to make another goal and D’Agostino came close to scoring the 3-2 with yet another impressive long range strike. Nevertheless, Wiese refused to concede a second goal within minutes and punched the ball wide for a corner kick.

Quagliarella should have doubled his tally in stoppage time after a brilliant pass from D'Agostino, but the attacker blasted his shot over the bar from close range.

( Stefan Coerts / Goal )