Pizarro makes his mark
Updated: May 8, 2010, 8:37 AM UK
Claudio Pizarro equalled Giovane Elber's record for most goals by a foreigner in the Bundesliga as Werder Bremen booked their spot in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League with a home draw against Hamburg.
Pizarro scored in the 59th minute for his 133rd goal in the Bundesliga to pull even with the Brazilian star Elber. Ruud van Nistelrooy made things interesting with his goal in the 82nd minute for Hamburg.
Bremen finished the season with one loss in the last 14 games for third place with 61 points, two more than Bayer Leverkusen.
Hamburg will not play in Europe next season after just two wins in the final nine games for seventh place with 52 points - three behind Stuttgart.
Hamburg created the first chance after eight minutes but Bremen keeper Tim Wiese made a superb stop on van Nistelrooy's header.
The game lacked highlights through most of the first half until a minute before the break as Torsten Frings' cross found Pizarro, whose header struck the inside of the right post.
Hamburg refused to give up on their Europa League hopes but van Nistelrooy headed wide seven minutes after the break.
Bremen grabbed the lead in the 59th minute as Clemens Fritz beat Jonathan Pitroipa down the right side and crossed into the box where Pizarro finished with style, hitting home with his heel for the record-equalling goal.
Pizarro went looking for more but headed just wide right in the 63rd minute, starting a rush of chances.
Wiese was superb in stopping van Nistelrooy (65) and Mladen Petric (67) before Rost blocked Hugo Almeida from point blank range a minute later.
The game was even with eight minutes left as Ze Roberto passed to van Nistelrooy, who blasted past Wiese from 11 yards out.
Werder had a chance to grab the lead with two minutes left but Marko Marin shot just wide.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=273216&cc=4716&league=GER.1