Werder Bremen 2 - Valencia 1

Bremen: Reinke; Stalteri, Fahrenhorst, Schulz, Magnin; Borowski, Ernst, Micoud, Valdez; Klasnic, Klose. 4-4-2.
Valencia: Cañizares; Curro Torres, David Navarro, Marchena, Carboni; Albelda, Baraja (Sissoko 75'); Angulo, Di Vaio (Pellegrini 57'), Vicente (Moretti 80'); Corradi. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
0-1. 02. Vicente. Ran on to Carboni cross and lifted shot over Reinke from left.
1-1. 60. Klose. Placed shot wide of Cañizares after Klasnic cross not cleared.
2-1. 84. Charisteas. From close up after Klasnic squared ball across goal.

Valencia lost their second Champions' League game after leading for much of the 90 minutes. thanks in large part to a controversial decision by English referee Mike Riley to send off their central defender Carlos Marchena. The Spanish international received a yellow card in the first half for what television cameras confirmed was a blatant dive by Klose, and picked up a second booking ten minutes after the break for a foul which also did not seem to warrant a booking.

Vicente had given Ranieri's side the lead as early as the second minute when he ran on to meet Carboni's cross and beat Reinke from a wide angle. And Di Vaio should have increased the lead later in the half, missing the target twice when free in front of goal on rapid counter-attacks. Valdez put a shot wide at the other end, but Reinke had to save from Di Vaio again before the break, Corradi just unable to get his header down enough to steer the rebound under the bar.

Marchena's red card changed the flow of the match, Ranieri forced to bring on Pellegrino for Di Vaio to defend the lead. But only a couple of minutes later the German side equalised, Klasnic swinging a speculative cross through the defence for Klose to steer a shot wide of Cañizares, the referee (correctly it appears) turning down appeals for offside.

Valencia were forced back after that, with Vicente also being sacrificed to put on another defender. Borowski hit the post though with a long shot and Cañizares saved an effort from substitute Charisteas on the line, and eventually Bremen found the way through when Klasnic crossed the ball in front of goal for the unmarked Charisteas to score the winning goal.