| Tommaso Rocchi had a penalty saved and Lazio ended the game with 10 men, but defeated Werder Bremen 2-1 to stay in the Champions League race. With this result and Real Madrid's 0-0 at Olympiacos, they go joint second.
The Biancocelesti were in dire straits, propping up Group C and coming off three consecutive Serie A defeats. They lost 2-1 in Bremen a fortnight ago and needed their first Champions League win of the campaign to have any hope of qualifying. Goran Pandev was added to the injury list with Mobido Diakhitè, Stefano Mauri and Sebastiano Siviglia, while Tommaso Rocchi recovered from an ankle problem to start alongside Stephen Makinwa.
Former Atalanta striker Makinwa drilled just wide in the opening minute, but Rocchi went for glory when he perhaps should have passed to his Nigerian teammate.
Hugo Almeida nodded a Clemens Fritz cross over the bar, but Guglielmo Stendardo should have done better when his weak header from Cristian Ledesma's assist was straight at Tim Wiese.
Rocchi set up Luciano Zauri for a precise angled drive that didn't have quite enough power to beat Wiese's fingertips. Zauri picked up an injury and was forced off the field after just 18 minutes to make way for Under-21 international Lorenzo De Silvestri.
Lazio continued to waste scoring opportunities, Mourad Meghni blasting over from a promising position after good work from Makinwa. The Nigerian went for goal himself soon after, bringing a fantastic reaction save out of Wiese with his shot on the bounce.
Bremen also lost a player to injury, as Frank Baumann clattered into Ledesma, receiving a cut to his head, and was replaced by Daniel Jensen. Emilson Sanchez Cribari did well to clear the danger from a Markus Rosenberg cross.
But Lazio had more of the first half and while Mertesacker's desperate defending managed to close down Rocchi at the last second, Massimo Mutarelli smashed over from the edge of the box.
Rocchi had a fantastic chance on 40 minutes with his splendid volley from Ledesma's corner kick, but defensive bodies charged it down practically on the goalline. Makinwa had penalty appeals waved away.
Lazio took the lead in controversial circumstances after 57 minutes. Naldo shoulder-charged Meghni in the box and the referee awarded a penalty. Although goalkeeper Wiese got a hand to the spot-kick, the ball was at his side when Rocchi came sliding in for the follow-up. Bremen felt the 'keeper had been fouled, but the Croatian official considered the ball to be in play, as Wiese had fumbled it.
The Germans fought back vehemently and Almeida's long-range strike whistled over the bar before 43-year-old Marco Ballotta flew to palm away a rocket of a free kick from Naldo.
However, this opened up the game and allowed Lazio to strike on the counter. Meghni impressed in this rare start and some fancy footwork with a pass over the defence sent Rocchi clear on goal for a precise lob as Wiese came rushing out.
Ballotta's reflexes were still alert to block a Markus Rosenberg volley and Almeida screamer, but Lazio cannot help but make life difficult for themselves. Their disciplinary record in Europe has been poor and Cribari was sent off for bringing down Almeida as he was clear on goal. Diego converted the penalty under the roof of the net to give Bremen hope in the final minutes.
Leon Andreasen was booked for hauling down Rocchi on the counter and Lionel Scaloni did well to hold off Naldo in the area. Diego was also sent off in stoppages for a second bookable offence - dissent.
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