Bremen on top in derby
Munich - Hamburger SV's new marquee signing Rafael van der Vaart witnessed his side fall to a 2-0 defeat away at local rivals SV Werder Bremen, as goals from Aaron Hunt and Nils Petersen gave the home side victory. Thomas Schaaf's side were deserving of the three points, and might have won by a more handsome margin, but for an oustanding individual display from Rene Adler in the Hamburg goal.
Adler finally beaten
It was the home side that dominated proceedings in the first half, and Rene Adler was forced into a superb save to divert Nils Petersen's header onto the crossbar inside the fis ten minutes. Adler had endured a difficult start to his HSV career, but seemed firmly in the mood here, spreading himself to keep Sebastian Prödl's shot from six yards. The away side then had their keeper to thank yet again just before the break, as he sprang to his left to turn Aaron Hunt's penalty around the post, after Eljero Elia had been fouled by Jeffrey Bruma.
HSV may have survived the first half, but their luck ran out when Bremen were given a second spot-kick after Dennis Aogo's foul on, and Hunt made no mistake to beat Adler at the second time of asking. By then it was all Werder and they doubled their lead when a defensive mistake let in Petesen to slot his side's second of the afternoon. Torsten Fink's team attempted a fightback and came close through Petr Jiracek, who had two decent efforts cleared off the line. Bremen were deserving winners in the first derby of the season, however, and have their first win of the new campaign. HSV will need new signing van der Vaart firing on all cylinders when he makes his long-awaited second debut for the club.
Bernie Reeves
Want more Bundesliga Action?