Claudio Pizarro¿s goal was not enough to move Werder Bremen up to second in the Bundesliga after they were held to a draw at Augsburg.
But draw is not enough to move up to second in Bundesliga
Claudio Pizarro's goal was not enough to move Werder Bremen up to second in the Bundesliga after they were held to a draw at Augsburg.
Former Chelsea man Pizarro got the visitors back on level terms midway through the second half after the home side had taken a 49th minute lead through Axel Bellinghausen.
Thomas Schaaf's team looked for a winner, but were unable to find one as the Bavarians held firm at the back to build on their first win of the season last weekend and move a point clear of bottom-placed Hamburg and Freiburg.
Augsburg appeared to have a new air of confidence about them following their first Bundesliga victory last weekend and, although they still seemed reluctant to attack, their defensive organisation ensured they looked secure at the back.
The first time Bremen managed to find a way through was from a corner in the ninth minute, which fell out to Markus Rosenberg, but he flashed his shot from the edge of the penalty area just over the crossbar.
Ascendancy
The woodwork came to the home side's rescue just over 10 minutes later when Rosenberg came a bit closer to hitting the target.
The hosts looked for their chances on the counter-attack and Bellinghausen nearly crowned one with a goal, but Tim Wiese, back in the Bremen goal after a three-match suspension, made a good save to deny him.
Bellinghausen beat Wiese with his next chance in the fourth minute of the second half, though, to put Augsburg ahead after receiving the ball from Sascha Molders.
The goal prompted a reaction from Bremen, who raised their game and were rewarded with the equaliser in the 68th minute.
Mehmet Ekici's corner was flicked on by Andreas Wolf to the far post, where Pizarro was on hand to nod in his seventh goal of the campaign.
Clearly in the ascendancy now, Bremen hunted for a second goal, but Simon Jentzsch, who passed a late fitness test to maintain his ever-present record this term, was not going to be beaten again as Augsburg held on for the point.
