German Cup

Mesut Oezil fired in the winner for Bremen in the 58th minute to deliver the club its sixth German Cup and first major trophy since 2004 when they won the league and cup double.

Bremen's Brazilian playmaker Diego received the ball around 10 meters out from the goal box and made his way through three Leverkusen defenders with a turn of pace and nifty footwork.

From there he delivered to Oezil who burst into the box unmarked left of goal. Oezil struck a solid left foot shot from a tight angle which took a slight but devilish deflection off a lunging Manual Friedrich before deceiving keeper Rene Adler and finding the back of the net.

Bremen had missed Diego's creativity in last week's UEFA Cup final against Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in Istanbul when the midfielder was suspended, and although the playmaker could not always shine on the Berlin stage, his moment came when he set up Bremen's winner.

Bremen were dominant throughout with Diego seeing out his contract with Bremen in style. The 24-year-old has signed a five-year deal worth 24.5 million euros to move to Juventus Turin next season.

Thomas Schaaf's men were full value for their victory before a capacity 74,244 crowd in the Berlin Olympic Stadium, and but for young Leverkusen goalie Rene Adler could have taken the lead earlier.

The Germany keeper had to save early from Sebastian Proedl, whose header from a free-kick looked to be from an offside position, and then did well before half-time to tip a Naldo header over the bar.

Leverkusen missed a chance to pull even with four minutes of regulation time remaining, when Germany striker Stefan Kiessling fired wide.

The victory hands Bremen the last remaining spot in the new Europa League, the reworked UEFA Cup of old.

dfm/dpa/Reuters

Editor: Rick Demarest