HAMBURG stunned hosts Werder Bremen in their Uefa Cup semi-final first leg last night with Piotr Trochowski's first-half goal putting the visitors in control of the tie.
Midfielder Trochowski beat Tim Wiese when he peeled back to the far pos
t to meet a Guy Demel cross and headed it over the helpless goalkeeper in the 28th minute.
Hamburg, beaten by Werder on penalties in the German Cup semi-final last week, were hungrier in the first half, missing their first chance through Ivica Olic in the second minute when Wiese did well to block his close-range effort with his feet.
Wiese was challenged again in the 22nd when he palmed away a low drive from Paolo Guerrero, who will miss the return leg following a yellow card.
Trochowski made amends for the misses six minutes later when he grabbed the only goal.
With playmaker Diego stifled by a well-organised Hamburg defence, Werder started to probe the flanks in the second half and had several good chances through Hugo Almeida and Claudio Pizarro, but neither could convert from close range.
Pizarro almost snatched a stoppage-time equaliser, but again keeper Frank Rost did well to block his six-yard shot.
The full article contains 219 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
