Koln 0 - 0 Werder Bremen: Goalless draw at Cologne leaves Werder Bremen with work to do to avoid the drop

Posted Sunday, May 08, 2016 by PA

Werder Bremen need a win on the final day of the season to avoid a relegation play-off or even worse after they came away from Cologne with only a point from a goalless draw.

Buoyed by a 6-2 win over Stuttgart which had lifted them out of the bottom two a week ago, Bremen were keen to take some of the edge off their final-day clash at home to Eintracht Frankfurt, but they now go into that game needing to win to avoid the drop, while a draw would mean a relegation play-off at best for Viktor Skripnik's men.

Timo Horn was earning his money in the Cologne goal, thwarting Bremen's many attempts to beat him, while his post helped him to keep out Zlatko Junuzovic's volley.

Cologne almost snatched the lead on the stroke of half-time, though, when Anthony Modeste suddenly broke through on the Bremen goal, but he was unable to guide his shot past Felix Wiedwald.

The hosts were more confident in the second half, in which Bremen's early promise soon evaporated as tired legs started to take over.

Cologne might have been given a penalty when Dominik Maroh appeared to be fouled in the area, while Modeste missed their best chance of the half late on.

The draw leaves Bremen needing to beat Frankfurt at home next weekend to be certain of survival, while a draw or defeat would leave them with a relegation play-off, or worse if Stuttgart manage to win their game at Wolfsburg.