The women of TSG Hoffenheim win an intense game against Leverkusen and secure important points in the fight for a place in the Champions League.
In the duel between table neighbors Hoffenheim (fifth place) and Leverkusen (sixth place), it was the guests who scored the first shot on goal: Hoffenheim keeper Martina Tufeković was able to clear a Leverkusen free kick from the left (2nd minute). In direct return then the first worth seeing action of Hoffenheim. Ereleta Memeti had a lot of space on the left after a good combination. However, her cross was whistle-stopped due to an offside position (3′). In the early stages, the guests tried to put Hoffenheim under pressure early on and started pressing from the opponent’s 16-metre box. This is how some ball wins were achieved, which the Leverkusen team could not complete precisely. After a good ten minutes, Hoffenheim managed to switch quickly after winning the ball and overplayed the Leverkusen defense. Gia Corley lobbed the ball from Nicole Billa, standing alone in front of the goal, over Leverkusen goalkeeper Friederike Repohl to make it 1-0 (12′).
Memeti increased
The guests then tried to get a little more control of the game, but were repeatedly surprised by the precise switching game and the quick counterattacks by Hoffenheim. This was also the case in the 22nd minute: Julia Hickelsberger, somewhat robustly, conquered the ball on the right touchline and, after a long sprint to the penalty area, found Ereleta Memeti. The Kosovar pushed in easily and was rewarded for her very eye-catching game so far. The visitors kept their rhythm and had a good chance through Arfaoui. Tufeković was able to parry the ball from eleven meters (25′). The Leverkusen women continued to try to score the goal – but with less risk than at the beginning of the game. The hosts, on the other hand, intensified their duels in midfield and were able to keep the pressure off their own goal as much as possible towards the end of the first half.
Intensive start to the second round
The second half started like the first: the guests from Leverkusen, who pressed up again, fought for the ball in midfield, but Hoffenheim had better chances. But both Memeti and Corley lack the necessary luck to use the chaotic situation in Leverkusen’s defense to make a decision (50th). Billa was also missing three minutes later, only a few centimeters after a cross from Isabella Hartig. Her
The ball narrowly misses the goal (53′). The guests by no means gave up and stuck to their system. With success. After a long ball relay, Elisa Senß sent Amira Arfaoui into the penalty area with a dream pass. This allowed Tufeković to get out and pushed in to make it 1-2 (61′). Hoffenheim’s coach Gabor Gallai reacted to his team’s passive phase and made three changes. Paulina Krumbiegel, Fabienne Dongus and Melissa Kössler (67th), who was nominated for the Landerspiel trip, came in for Memeti, Corley and Billa. But that was of little use. The guests got better and better in the duels and forced the Hoffenheim team into their own half more and more often. They pushed for the equalizer with all means, but the decisive precision was still missing in the end. So the guests increased the risk more and more, but were not rewarded for it. Substitute Vanessa Leimenstoll scored the winning goal for TSG 145 seconds after coming on (90′). The Hoffenheim women thus secure important points in the fight for a place in the Champions League.
