Last year's Bundesliga runner-up spurned chance after chance at the Weser Stadion as the Cypriots, making their debut appearance in the group stage, clung on for a desperate point. Bremen striker Claudio Pizarro was the culprit in chief as he missed a hat-trick of presentable first-half chances as the home side failed to win on matchday one for the fifth consecutive year.
Bremen could have avoided what would become a frustrating evening as early as the fifth minute when Anorthosis goalkeeper Arjan Beqaj ill-advisedly attempted to catch a Diego corner. The shot-stopper was never likely to reach the ball and was indebted to the close-checking of his defence, which pressured Bremen defender Ronaldo Naldo to head wide of an unmarked right-hand post.
The away side threatened momentarily soon after when Paulo Costa was put through on goal, but his hurried shot flew high over the crossbar with only Tim Wiese to beat. Pizarro then missed the first of his trio of first-half opportunities in the 16th minute.
Germany full-back Clemens Fritz angled an inch-perfect low pass to the near post where the striker, who is on loan from Chelsea, could only stab his close-range effort wide. Fritz was enjoying plenty of space down the right flank and he was again the architect of the next chance to pass Pizarro by.
The defender's searching cross to the back post found Mesut Ozil who headed across the six-yard box to an unmarked Pizarro, but he aimed his powerful header straight at Beqaj. Ozil then saw a close-range effort blocked by the ever-retreating defence while Markus Rosenborg saw a couple of shots slide wide after he took matters into his own hands and ran at defence.
The tale of the opening half, however, was reflected in injury time when Fritz floated another decent cross into the area only for Pizarro to completely miss his first-time shot when in acres of space. Anorthosis goalkeeper Beqaj was immediately called into action after the break, diving in at the feet of Diego to deny the Brazilian a shot at goal and when the ball spilled free he was the fastest to react and clear the danger. Anorthosis got a rare sight of goal soon after when half-time substitute Hawar Mulla Mohammed's stinging drive forced a neat save from Wiese at the near post.
Bremen countered immediately with Rosenborg's looping header cleared off the line, before Diego fired an angled shot across goal, which eluded Pizarro who flung a leg at the ball as it fizzed past. The home side did find the net in the 54th minute when Diego lofted a perfectly-weighted pass over the defence for Rosenborg to run on to, and although the striker showed great composure to chip his shot over the advancing keeper, he was flagged for offside. It looked a marginal decision and Rosenborg was booked for his protests.
Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf, no doubt sick of seeing his side spurn their chances, decided to bring on Boubacar Sanogo and Hugo Almeida for his hapless strike duo of Pizarro and Rosenborg. The change almost paid immediate dividends when Almeida found space in the box only to blast his shot over the crossbar. But the Portugal international was soon joining in on the act as he fired well wide of the target when a Frings through-ball had afforded him a sight of goal.
Bremen had waited until the 75th minute until they broke down Energie Cottbus to claim their first win of the Bundesliga season at the weekend and they remained patient with Diego and Ozil exchanging passes in injury time before the Germany Under-21 international forced Beqaj into a low save.
There was still time for Sanogo to send a header over the crossbar, but the final whistle blew soon after to herald scenes of joy on the Anorthosis bench.
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