Hertha Berlin beat leaky Bremen

Hertha Berlin had scored just one at home in four matches ahead of their meeting with Werder Bremen, currently the perfect Bundesliga defense to face if you're struggling to score.

Werder have have conceded 14 in their last three matches, counting Friday's 3-2 defeat in the capital.

Coach Robin Dutt said after the game on Sky television that "repeated errors befalling us in the penalty area are causing big problems," while star player Aaron Hunt instead referred to the defensive mishaps as the "the same old crap week after week."

It was Bremen, however, who drew first blood through Nils Petersen. The former Bayern striker, playing former teammates in last weekend's 7-0 record home defeat for Werder, banged a distance shot home after a smart cutback from playmaker Hunt.

Bremen immediately conceded a penalty after their 15th-minute goal, and Adrian Ramos tied the score from the spot. Ramos added another in style before the half-hour mark, taking a touch to evade defender Luca Caldirola and finishing cooly with his left.

Hunt and Petersen combined again for Bremen's first-half equalizer, negating five defenders with a neat one-two. This time it was Hunt, captain on the night and playing his 200th Bundesliga game, who provided the finishing touch.

Only Ronny on hand for rebound

Less than five minutes after the break, Hertha reclaimed the lead and held it until the close.

Werder goalie Raphael Wolf, who has played only three games but conceded 14 times in his top-flight career, might have felt a little let down when he picked the ball from the net. Wolf saved Hertha's initial shot - from a conspicuously unmarked Peter Pekarik at the far post - in style, but only attacker Ronny was on hand to deal with the loose ball, tapping the winner into an empty net.

Apart from the flurry of five goals in around 35 minutes of play either side of the interval, Friday evening's fixture was often a scrappy affair. Hertha began to sit back and look to defend their lead, hitting on the counterattack. The hosts managed to successfully stifle Werder's attacks, except for a few last-minute scares including a direct free-kick from Hunt that goalie Thomas Kraft turned onto the post.

Newly-promoted overachievers Hertha moved to sixth in the Bundesliga table, at least temporarily, with their win, while Bremen sit 14th - presumably hoping the teams even closer to the drop zone misfire over the weekend.