Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was pleased with his side’s start to their first-ever Champions League campaign despite seeing a 2-0 lead slip away (Spurs 33/1 to win the Champions League).
The Londoners started brightly and were ahead after just 12 minutes when Werder Bremen’s Petri Pasanen scored an own goal under pressure from Peter Crouch.
The England international then doubled Spurs’ lead just six minutes later with a headed goal and Redknapp’s men dominated the opening exchanges.
However, Portuguese striker Hugo Almeida managed to reduce the deficit with two minutes of the first half remaining as he headed past Carlo Cudicini after the Spurs defence had switched off.
The German outfit were level moments after the restart when Marko Marin launched a fantastic effort past Cudicini from 20 yards as Spurs relinquished their lead.
Both sides had chances to win the game, with Werder Bremen perhaps enjoying the better opportunities, but neither could find the breakthrough to take all three points.
Redknapp was pleased with his side’s display, despite seeing a two-goal lead slip away, and praised the first-half performance.
“I think that first 42 minutes was as good as you could ever see us play, we were fantastic,” Redknapp told Sky Sports.
“We came out, passed the ball as I’d asked them to do. We kept the ball and opened them up time and time again.
“The second goal – what a great header,” Redknapp added. “It was great play and a fantastic finish by Crouchy, and overall I was delighted with how we played.
“We’d have taken a point before we came but being 2-0 up and in complete control, as we were, obviously it’s disappointing not to have won.”
Inter Milan and Dutch side FC Twente are the other two teams in Spurs’ Group A and the reigning champions could only manage a 2-2 draw with FC Twente in Holland.
FC Twente had managed to take a 2-1 lead over Rafael Benitez’s men – thanks to a 31st minute own goal from Inter’s Diego Milito – but Samuel Eto’o came to the Nerrazurri’s rescue with an equaliser just before half time.
Elsewhere, Spanish duo Barcelona and Valenica were both in fine form.
Barca secured a 3-1 win at the Nou Camp over Panathinaikos and Valenica ran riot with a 4-0 win over Bursaspor in Turkey, while Portuguese side Benfica secured a 2-0 victory over Hapoel Tel-Aviv.
Arsenal take on Portuguese outfit Braga at the Emirates tonight (Arsenal 1/4, draw 9/2, Braga 11/1), while Chelsea travel to Slovakia to face minnows MSK Zilina (Zilina 12/1, draw 5/1, Chelsea 2/9).
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