Team News
Inter were hoping to make it two wins out of two in Group B, while at the same time bouncing back from the derby defeat to Milan at the weekend. Luis Figo, Maxwell, and Luis Jimenez were all out injured, but Sulley Muntari was available having been suspended in Serie A. Jose Mourinho once again fielded a forward trident, this time consisting of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Adriano and teenage wonderkid Mario Balotelli.
Werder Bremen drew their Champions League opener at home against Anorthosis Famagusta, but they had rattled in 10 goals in their last two Bundesliga wins over Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim. Striker Martin Harnik missed out with a cold, while Hugo Almeida was injured. Brazilian star Diego started and was expected to be the German side's main threat.
First Half
Inter had a strong start and within the first 60 seconds, Ibrahimovic crossed from the left for Adriano, who controlled the ball on his chest and volleyed impressively over. Bremen also had an early effort as Naldo shot harmlessly wide from distance.
Adriano and Ibrahimovic were linking up well in the early stages, and the former hit a brilliant cross-field pass for the latter who saw his volley deflected wide. From the ensuing corner Marco Materazzi headed over.
Ibrahimovic then released Adriano, who charged towards goal and saw his right footed attempt glance off a defender and go wide.
Inter were threatening to make the breakthrough, and they did so on 13 minutes. A ricochet broke fortuitously into the path of the onrushing Maicon, and he bore down on Tim Weise before lifting the ball over the 'keeper delightfully.
Bremen tried to hit back immediately, and the danger man Diego brought out an alert save from Julio Cesar with a low shot. Inter received a blow on 19 minutes when Materazzi was forced off with a physical problem, and had to be replaced by Nicolas Burdisso.
There was then a lull in proceedings but on 36 minutes Inter had a great chance to double their lead when Dejan Stankovic raced through clear on goal from Balotelli's pass, but his first touch was so bad that the ball ran out of play.
Bremen had not threatened too much but a few minutes later they should have been level. Markus Rosenberg's step-over released Sebastian Prodl, and his cross located Claudio Pizarro in the six yard box, but his bundled effort came off the post, and Inter somehow escaped.
Rosenberg then thrashed a volley over the crossbar as Bremen finished the half strongly. The talented Mesut Ozil also tested Julio Cesar with a snapshot.
However bang on 45 minutes Inter almost grabbed a second as Adriano crossed from the left, and Balotelli poked the ball towards goal, but Wiese made a fine flying save to his right.
Second Half
Inter had the first attempt of the second half as Adriano fired in a shot from 25 yards, but Wiese watched it wide. Ibrahimovic also volleyed off target.
Bremen were still threatening an equaliser though and Ozil once again again tested Julio Cesar with his trusty left foot. Petri Pasanen then shot well over.
Adriano seemed determined to score a goal, and on 54 minutes he tried his luck for the umpteenth time, but his free kick was straight at Wiese.
Diego looked like a class act every time he touched the ball, and he unleashed a brilliant first time volley from outside the area, but fortunately for Inter it was straight at Julio Cesar. Naldo also lashed over from a free kick as Bremen refused to give in.
A goal seemed a possibility and it arrived on 61 minutes as Maicon and Julio Cesar had a misunderstanding at the back post, and Pizarro nipped in to poke the ball home from a right wing cross.
Inter had lost their rhythm now, and Diego was not too far away with a 25 yard shot which fizzed wide. Naldo then headed wide from a corner.
The Nerazzurri were looking really poor now, and Jose Mourinho made a change on 71 minutes, bringing on Ricardo Quaresma for Stankovic.
Ibrahimovic lashed the ball wide from outside the area as Inter attempted to up their game. Quaresma then had his first shot since his introduction but it was straight at Wiese.
Ibrahimovic had a great opening on 78 minutes, but he held onto the ball for too long and he was forced out wide by Wiese.
The home side threw everyone forward in the closing stages looking for the winner. Ibrahimovic put a wicked ball across the box that final substitute Julio Cruz was just inches away from getting his toe too.
With three minutes to go Maicon was inches away from getting his and Inter's second as his trivela from 20 yards beat Wiese but clipped off the outside of the post. Cruz shot straight at Wiese when well positioned, while Muntari smashed a shot over as it became a siege.
However, in the second minute of injury time Bremen could and should have stolen all three points as Naldo's free kick was palmed straight into the path of Pizarro, but with the goal at his mercy, albeit from a tight angle, he put the ball into the side-netting.
The final whistle sounded soon after and both sides had to content themselves with a share of the spoils. Inter stay top of Group B with four points while Bremen are in third with two points.
Teams
Inter: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Materazzi (Burdisso 19), Cordoba, Zanetti; Stankovic (Quaresma 70), Cambiasso, Muntari; Balotelli, Adriano (Cruz 77), Ibrahimovic.
Werder Bremen: Wiese; Pasanen, Mertesacker, Nado, Prodl (Fritz 85); Frings, Baumann, Ozil (Jensen 82), Diego; Rosenberg (Hunt 76), Pizarro.
Anthony Sormani
http://www.goal.com/en/articolo.aspx?contenutoid=890954
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