Werder Bremen moved three points clear at the top of Group L after seeing off Athletic Bilbao 3-1 despite losing Peter Niemeyer to a red card just five minutes after he appeared as a second-half substitute.
Both sides had won their opening Europa League matches but it was Bremen who took the spoils with a hard-fought victory after playing around 30 minutes a man down following Niemeyer’s dismissal.
The German side led 2-0 at the break thanks to a brilliant volley from Aaron Hunt and a well-worked effort from defender Nando, and although Fernando Llorente pulled a late goal back for Athletic, it was not enough for the visitors and they conceded a third almost immediately when Torsten Frings slotted home from the penalty spot.
Bremen needed just 18 minutes to break the deadlock and although the build-up to the goal was slightly messy, there was nothing ugly about Hunt’s fantastic right-footed volley which flew across the helpless Gorka Iraizoz and into the far top corner.
That was a blow for an Athletic side who, after a good start to the season, have started to lose their way, but they valiantly tried to hit back with a series of dangerous crossed into the Bremen box.
Athletic striker Gaizka Toquero then missed a great chance to level the scores in the 36th minute when he totally fluffed his lines seven yards out when a goal looked a certainty.
That was a poor miss and the Basque side’s disappointment was compounded four minutes later when Bremen doubled their lead with a slick goal.
Marko Marin’s chip over the visiting defence found Claudio Pizarro, who had been played on by Athletic’s last man, and he coolly rolled the ball inside for team-mate Naldo to slot past Iraizoz.
Bremen might even had made it 3-0 before the break but Iraizoz did superbly to deny Mesut Ozil after Yeste had only partially cut out Hunt’s through-ball.
Bremen were looking comfortable, but they suddenly found themselves in trouble in the 63rd minute when substitute Niemeyer picked up his second yellow card in five minutes to leave the home side with 10 men.
Athletic pushed men forward in search of a goal, but they could only find the back of the net in injury-time when Llorente turned and fired into the far corner.
That could have set up a grandstand finish, but Bremen raced down the other end and killed the game off by winning a penalty that Frings fired home.
