Prödl denies Schalke with last-gasp equaliser
Gelsenkirchen - Second-half substitute Sebastian Prödl rescued SV Werder Bremen a dramatic late 1-1 draw away to FC Schalke 04.
Tight encounter
The hosts looked the likely winners after Max Meyer had given them the lead just past the hour-mark, but Prödl scored late to extend Bremen’s unbeaten streak to six games.
Hoping to bounce back from a defeat each in the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League, Schalke started the game full of purpose, despite clear-cut chances proving few and far between at both ends at the Veltins Arena. It was Bremen who created the first opportunity, however, with leading scorer Franco Di Santo unlucky to see his crisp effort bounce off Joel Matip’s head and wide. Roman Neustädter could have broken the deadlock for Schalke shortly past the half-hour mark, curling wide from inside the area.
The midfielder was presented with another promising long-range opportunity minutes after the break, while at the other end set-piece specialist Zlatko Junuzovic’s free-kick sailed past the right post. Schalke upped the pressure as the game progressed, though, and Roberto Di Matteo’s men saw their dominance pay dividends a good hour into the match, Bremen No1 Wolf failing to keep Meyer’s effort from the edge of the box out. Werder didn’t give up though, throwing bodies forward in the dying stages in search of an equaliser, Prödl nodding Junuzovic’s pinpoint cross into the back of the net to draw the visitors level.
Line-ups and statistics
