LEVERKUSEN: Claudio Pizarro’s first goal of the season and a late penalty save secured Werder Bremen a 1-1 Bundesliga draw at Bayer Leverkusen on Friday to deny Tayfun Korkut a win in his first game in charge of the hosts. The Korkut era got off to a perfect start as Kevin Volland headed the opener for Leverkusen in just seven minutes but Bremen created various chances to level. They finally equalised 11 minutes from time when substitute Pizarro fortuitously deflected home a shot from Robert Bauer. Leverkusen, who had Wendell sent off late on, were given a golden opportunity to win the game when Maximilian Eggestein fouled Benjamin Henrichs in the box but Felix Wiedwald easily saved Oemer Toprak’s weak spot-kick.
The home side remain 10th in the table, four points off sixth and the final automatic European spot, while Bremen are also unchanged in 14th. They are now unbeaten in four and have edged three points clear of northern rivals SV Hamburg in the relegation play-off place.
Leverkusen removed coach Roger Schmidt from his position after a 6-2 hammering in Dortmund last week and new boss Korkut immediately made his mark on the team with five changes.
That fresh impetus brought an immediate reward as Voll and converted the opening goal early on after Julian Brandt’s rocket rebounded back off the crossbar.
The Leverkusen defence rarely looked settled but Bremen could not take advantage in the first half. Straight after the restart, Karim Bellarabi almost doubled the home lead but was denied by Felix Wiedwald’s fine save.
“How it ended, is fair,” Toprak said in summing up his first 90 minutes with Leverkusen. “That’s football.”
Zlatko Junuzovic missed his kick with a fine chance to level but the introduction of 38-year-old veteran Pizarro saved the day for Werder.
The Peruvian may have been fouled in the box but Bauer shot as playraged on and Pizarro was in the right place to deflect past Bernd Leno, even if he did not know much about it, after less than three minutes on the park.
Wendell collected a second yellow for a reckless tackle as normal time expired but it was Leverkusen who could have won all three points.
They had already missed several penalties this season so captain Toprak stepped up with the last kick of the game after Eggestein’s needless challenge on Henrichs. But his shot was neither powerful or placed and Wiedwald protected Werder’s deserved draw. — DPA
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