SoccerNews.com

German Cup champions Werder Bremen ended their long wait for victory in the Bundesliga Friday thanks to a 2-1 win over strugglers Hertha Berlin.

Hertha’s 14th defeat from 21 matches left them firmly rooted to the bottom of the table, but Bremen’s first win since November 21 did not come easily.

German midfielder Marko Marin opened the scoring for the hosts on 66 minutes only for Greece international striker Theofanis Gekas, on loan at Hertha from leaders Bayer Leverskusen, to level two minutes later.

It took until nine minutes from regulation time for Werder’s nerves to settle, after Peruvian international striker Claudio Pizarro put the hosts in front.

Werder’s win leaves them in sixth place, four points behind Hamburg and 13 points behind Leverkusen ahead of the rest of the weekend fixtures.

Leverkusen will bid to remain unbeaten, and also maintain their two-point lead over Bayern Munich, when they travel to lowly Bochum on Saturday.

Bayern are also on the road, at reigning league champions Wolfsburg who are struggling in 11th place.

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