Raffael's (l.) goal early in the game was not enough to get Borussia M'gladbach's first win in six games.
Raffael's (l.) goal early in the game was not enough to get Borussia M'gladbach's first win in six games.

Late Bremen goal denies Gladbach

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Bremen - Ludovic Obraniak's last-gasp strike helped SV Werder Bremen to their first point in 2014 at home to Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 1-1 draw.

Obraniak to the rescue

Hoping to bounce back from a streak of five games without a win, Gladbach started promisingly, bossing the game in the early stages and carving out numerous chances against a Bremen team low on confidence after recording just one win in ten games.

It was a blunder in the Bremen defence that helped Gladbach take the lead early on, however, as Assani Lukimya's misplaced pass found Raffael, who kept his cool to send an assured finish past Raphael Wolf.

Branimir Hrgota and Martin Stranzl then might have extended the lead for a Borussia side enjoying the lion's share of possession, and Lucien Favre's men almost saw their wasteful play punished shortly after the break. Bremen were rejuvenated after the restart and they came within a whisker of levelling matters on 49 minutes when Zlatko Junuzovic's effort bounced off the crossbar.

Raffael came close doubling Gladbach's lead near the hour-mark, but Werder refused to give in, throwing bodies forward in the dying stages in search of an equaliser. Their probing eventually paid dividends two minutes from time thanks to a beautifully chipped free-kick by Obraniak, ensuring that Gladbach remain without a league win in Bremen since 1987.

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