Madrid still on top despite defeat

BREMEN, Germany -- Werder Bremen breathed fresh life into their Champions League bid with a 3-2 victory over Group C leaders Real Madrid, a result that denied Real the point they needed to seal qualification.

Bremen had a dream start when they took a fifth minute lead. Madrid's central defensive pairing of Pepe and Christoph Metzelder were caught napping when Clemens Fritz spun the ball in from the right. It bounced off Boubacar Sanogo's shoulder and fell to Markus Rosenberg, whose scrappy effort beat Iker Casillas.

The visitors equalized in the 14th minute when Marcelo won possession on the halfway line and played in Robinho down the left channel.

The Brazilian skipped inside and just as Per Mertsesacker readied to challenge, he curled a superb shot into the far corner of Christian Vander's goal.

Both sides had chances to score, but it was the hosts who went in ahead at the break. Rosenberg surged past Fernando Gago on the right, evaded Metzelder's rash tackle and set up Sanogo -- who found the net with an expertly-taken volley.

The home side double their advantage early in the second half when Daniel Jensen lofted a pass in behind Madrid's defence and Aaron Hunt -- back after a long knee injury lay-off -- steered the ball past the onrushing Casillas.

Madrid were not finished yet though and Ruud Van Nistelrooy pulled a goal back when he chipped over goalkeeper Vander.

The result leaves the Spanish champions top of the table with eight points, level with Olympiakos, who secured a shock 2-1 victory at Lazio.

Bremen are third in the table on six points with Lazio bottom on five, but in a very tight group, all four teams can still reach the last 16.

Bremen will need to win at Olympiakos to be sure of progressing, while Madrid only need to draw at home to Lazio to secure their qualification.

Meanwhile, in Rome, Olympiakos put qualification into their own hands after coming from behind to win at the Olympic Stadium.

A scrappy game came to life on the half-hour mark when Cristian Ledesma headed a long ball on to Tommaso Rocchi. The Lazio captain cut the ball back from the byline and Goran Pandev slotted in from close range.

The setback stirred the Greek side into action and within five minutes they were level. Ieroklis Stoltidiss received a pass from the left and slid the ball to his right from where the on-rushing Luciano Galletti beat Marco Ballotta with a rasping 14-meter shot at his near post.

Then, against the run of play, Olympiakos acored their winner. Stoltidis released Predrag Djordjevic down the right and substitute Darko Kovacevic was first to the visiting captain's low cross.

The result means Olympiakos, who had waited 31 matches for an away win in the competition, have now won twice in three away games. One more point and they will reach the knockout stage for the first time since 1999/2000. E-mail to a friend