The soccer players from Eintracht Frankfurt have confidently cleared their first hurdle on the way to the group stage of the Champions League.
Coach Niko Arnautis’ team defeated host Fortuna Hjörring 2-0 (2-0) at the start of the mini-tournament and will fight against Ajax Amsterdam in the final on Sunday for entry into the second and final qualifying round.
“The way we were there in the first half shows the great strength and great character of this team,” said Arnautis, looking forward with anticipation: “What could be nicer? Eintracht Frankfurt versus Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League it’s a dream.”
With the Vice European Champions Laura Freigang, Sophia Kleinherne and Sara Doorsoun in the starting XI, the Bundesliga third got off to a perfect start. Goalscorer Lara Prasnikar (15th) and an own goal by Maria Ficzay (18th) put Frankfurt on course early on when they came back on the international stage. The last time the Hessians were in the premier class was in 2016 under the old name 1. FFC Frankfurt, four-time European Cup winner.
German champions VfL Wolfsburg are seeded for the group stage starting on October 19, while runners-up Bayern Munich will enter the competition in the play-offs in mid-September. The final will take place on June 3rd or 4th, 2023 in Eindhoven.