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BREMEN, Germany (AP) -Anorthosis Famagusta clinched an historic 0-0 draw Tuesday at Werder Bremen in a Champions League group stage debut for any Cypriot team.
Anorthosis was the heavy underdog in the Group B game against a team playing in its fifth straight Champions League competition.
"Most of the action was really in front of their goal," Bremen defender Per Mertesacker said. "We created pressure but it wasn't strong enough to force them into mistakes."
Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf also said his team did not do enough.
"We had five or six chances, we had most of the possession and we couldn't score. We should have been more aggressive," Schaaf said.
Claudio Pizarro had two early chances, but first he shot just past the post and then goalkeeper Arian Beqaj stopped his header from close range.
On the other side, Paulo Costa shot over Bremen's goal after a counterattack.
The Cypriot team allowed Bremen most of the possession and preferred to wait for openings for fast breaks.
Defender Sebastian Boenisch nearly scored unintentionally when his mis-kicked cross bounced off the top of the bar.
Pizarro wasted Bremen's best opportunity late in the first half when he failed to connect with a cross.
While Anorthosis made more attempts to attack in the second half, Bremen still dominated without creating a real chance until Mesut Ozil put Hugo Almeida through. But the striker, who had come on for Pizarro, shot high and wide in the 78th.
Bremen goalkeeper Tim Wiese then had to come off his line to get the ball before Savio as the visitors sought to upset the Bundesliga runner-up.
Wiese was tested again by a long-range effort from Traianos Dellas, fumbling the ball before his defenders cleared it.
Bremen had two more chances in injury time, but Beqaj stopped Ozil's shot from a sharp angle and substitute striker Boubacar Sanogo headed just high.
