Werder Bremen bounces back thanks to goalkeeping blunder

Reuters, Berlin, Germany

Werder Bremen needed an embarrassing blunder from Hamburg SV's goalkeeper to secure a much-needed 2-1 win in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Werder, which conceded a shock 3-0 defeat to promoted Arminia Bielefeld in their opening match last weekend, scored the winner when Martin Pieckenhagen let a harmless effort from midfielder Holger Wehlage slip through his legs in the 50th minute.

Greek striker Angelos Charisteas had put Werder ahead nine minutes into the northern German derby before Czech defender Tomas Ujfalusi equalized with a header in the 20th minute.

Werder moved up to ninth in the 18-strong table while Hamburg, who had started with a win, are joint fifth.

VfL Wolfsburg also bounced back after starting its campaign with a defeat as a drive from 20 meters by Bulgarian striker Martin Petrov presented them with a 1-0 victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach in Sunday's other match.

Wolfsburg, whose shock new signing, former Bayern Munich captain Stefan Effenberg, will only be eligible to play next weekend, climb to seventh while Moenchengladbach slide to 14th.

Promoted VfL Bochum, who crushed Energie Cottbus 5-0 on Saturday, is the surprise leader after two games.

In London, England, classy Arsenal cruised to a record- breaking 14th straight league victory when they beat 10-man Birmingham City 2-0 in their opening game of the season on Sunday.

First-half goals by Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord gave the champion and FA Cup holder a flying start that also took Arsenal past the previous record of 13 successive wins in England's top division.

Liverpool, runner-up to Arsenal in the premier league last season, also started with a victory, beating Aston Villa 1-0 at Villa Park thanks to John Arne Riise's second-half goal.

On Saturday, three other title contenders made winning starts. Manchester United beat West Bromwich Albion 1-0 at Old Trafford, Leeds United overcame Manchester City 3-0 at Elland Road and Chelsea won 3-2 at Charlton Athletic.

Arsenal became the first premier league club to score in every game last season and it also became the first top flight side in over a century to remain unbeaten away from home in the league.

Sunday's win took Arsenal past the record of 13 straight league wins achieved by arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Preston North End and Sunderland.

Meanwhile, Villa goalkeeper Enckelman made a series of fine stops at Villa Park to keep Liverpool at bay.

Apart from saving a Michael Owen penalty with an outstretched boot, the Finn produced a fine stop to deny the England striker in the first half and also saved from Steven Gerrard, again with his feet, in stoppage time.

But he could do nothing when Danny Murphy led a lightning Liverpool counter-attack two minutes into the second half, racing past several challenges from deep inside his own half before laying the ball into the path of Riise.

Covering Villa defender Mark Delaney slipped over at the vital moment and Riise's deadly left foot did the rest.

In La Coruna, Spain, Spanish champion Valencia was humbled 3-0 by King's Cup winner Deportivo Coruna in the first leg of the Super Cup on Sunday.

Deportivo tore through an under-strength Valencia side with three goals in the opening 32 minutes by Juan Carlos Valeron, who was outstanding in the first half, Victor and Nourredine Naybet.

Valencia will have the chance to turn the result round at their Mestalla ground in a week's time but it will be a major surprise if Deportivo do not take the first trophy of the new season.