Relieved Bremen Thwart Udinese Recovery
Two goals by Diego and a Claudio Pizarro strike guided Werder Bremen through to the UEFA Cup semi-finals after Udinese Calcio had wiped out their 3-1 first-leg deficit before half-time.
Pizarro clincher
Despite Diego cancelling out Gokhan Inler’s 15th-minute strike, the momentum was with Udinese at the break as Fabio Quagiarella struck twice. But Diego’s second of the match, on the hour mark, swung the tie back in favour of the Bundesliga side, who added to their tally through Pizarro on 73 minutes moments after Diego had missed a penalty for his hat-trick.
Exciting half
Thunderstorms were predicted ahead of the match, but though the rain stayed away until half-time, other pyrotechnics were thick on the ground. After Werder had gone close when Naldo’s header was deflected wide by team-mate Petri Pasanen, Inler gave his side hope with a lightning strike on the quarter-hour. Receiving a ball from Kwadwo Asamoah, Inler cut inside from the left and dispatched an unstoppable 30-metre shot into the top corner.
Diego strikes
Udinese’s tails were up, now just a goal from taking the initiative in the tie, but they were almost pegged back moments after taking the lead as Hugo Almeida pounced on Clemens Fritz’s right-wing cross, and skewed it wide. The game had opened up and was swinging from end to end when the equaliser arrived on 28 minutes. Cristián Zapata dallied and Diego, so unsure of playing in the build-up to the match, took the loose ball in a flash before turning inside and shooting past Samir Handanovič.
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Holders FC Zenit St. Petersburg won through to face Udinese Calcio in the UEFA Cup’s Round of 16 which will also feature a showdown between former European champions Olympique de Marseille and AFC Ajax in the ties on 12 and 18/19 March.
