Bayern’s second string, augmented in the second half by a clutch of regulars, deservedly came from behind to beat Werder Bremen on Saturday in a match which gained in pace and thrills as time went on.
The 42,100 full house at the Weser Stadium saw an easy-paced first 45 minutes with much the better of the chances for Jupp Heynckes’ men, out-of-luck Nils Petersen missing two decent openings and seeing a third effort smack back into play off the crossbar.
The second period opened explosively with chances at both ends, Naldo forcing home the opener for Werder from a corner six minutes after the restart. Franck Ribery, Toni Kroos and Mario Gomez all came on as subs, and the Reds levelled it up a quarter-hour from time when Naldo scored at the wrong end in an effort to clear Ribery’s cross. Both sides went for it in a thrilling finish, but a moment of Ribery magic in the last minute earned a not undeserved victory for the men from Munich.
The result means FCB are now mathematically certain of second spot in the Bundesliga with 67 points from 32 matches, and also postpones Dortmund’s coronation as champions, at least until the battle of the Borussias when BVB play Gladbach in the evening. The Bavarians’ next match is the biggest and most significant of the season so far, Wednesday’s trip to Madrid for the decisive Champions League semi-final second leg, before the final home Bundesliga fixture of the season against Stuttgart on Saturday.
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