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VfL Wolfsburg vs. 1. FC Köln – The summary (5 min)
Women’s Bundesliga
As of: February 2, 2026 8:51 p.m
The VfL Wolfsburg footballers did not show any weakness in the Bundesliga title fight. However, the 2:1 (1:1) win on Monday evening against 1. FC Köln fell into the category of “work victory” and the performance was only convincing to a limited extent.
In the first competitive game of the new year – the game at Carl Zeiss Jena was canceled due to weather – coach Stephan Lerch’s team had a lot of problems in terms of play. But at least the efficiency was right: Lineth Beerensteyn used two of the very few chances for VfL to score two goals (4th, 68th), which in the end were enough for three important points.
A Wolfsburg player was also successful for Cologne: Sarai Linder scored an own goal to make it 1-1 (22nd). The visitors were the better team in the first half, but were harmless and unlucky in attack.
“Of course it wasn’t a nice game, you have to be honest. But we are in a situation in which the points are the only thing that counts. And then the performance is perhaps secondary. But that is of course not our aim. We have to really improve on that in the next few weeks,” said defender Sophia Kleinherne to NDR.
Beerensteyn gives VfL an early lead
It was the expected tricky task for the “she-wolves” right from the start. The guests, who won 1-0 against SC Freiburg at the start of the year, appeared very confident in the Autostadt and immediately put VfL under pressure. The high run-up ensured that the ball was won early, but it was also risky if Wolfsburg managed to outplay the first pressing line.
And that’s exactly what happened in the fourth minute: Kessya Bussy passed into the path of Beerensteyn, who couldn’t be stopped and finally tipped the ball past keeper Irina Fuchs into the goal to make it 1-0.
Cologne equalizes with an own goal – and is very close to making it 2-1
Despite the lead, the Lower Saxony team initially didn’t get any real stability in their game. Successful combinations were rare. And there was also room for improvement in the work against the ball. The Cologne women successfully combined to move forward several times, but were too indecisive in the last third of the field. The equalizer was not a coincidence: Martyna Wiankowska wanted to cross to the far post and was lucky that Linder deflected the ball unstoppable for keeper Stina Johannes.
But the 1:1 was definitely deserved. And actually the Rhinelanders should have been leading at the break. The very eye-catching Sandra Maria Jessen took the lead twice (25th, 41st).
Wolfsburg also shined with efficiency after the break
The VfL women are cheering: They celebrated a victory in their first game of the year.
Even after the break, the Wolfsburg women initially tried in vain to get structure into their game. Because the “Effzeh” was also stingy with successful offensive moves, the 2,343 spectators in the Allerpark stadium waited in vain for a dangerous finish until the 68th minute.
But then Vivien Endemann saw a gap in Cologne’s defense and passed it to Beerensteyn, who had taken off and remained ice cold in front of the goal for the second time that evening in temperatures well below zero degrees.
The Cologne team no longer had an answer to the Dutchwoman’s 13th goal of the season, which came from a suspected offside position. Probably also because they had to pay tribute to their very exhausting game in the final phase.
So the favorite’s success remained, but it will have to improve significantly in the coming weeks if league leaders Bayern Munich are to be able to pose a threat again.
