The footballers of VfL Wolfsburg won the showdown in Paris’ Prinzenpark and are one step closer to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Coach Tommy Stroot’s team won the quarter-final first leg on Wednesday at French runners-up Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 (0-0) and is taking a good starting position into the second leg.
VfL defender Dominique Janssen decided the game in favor of the Wolves with a hand penalty after video evidence (62nd), who are full of self-confidence in the top Bundesliga game on Saturday against rival Bayern Munich (5:55 p.m. / ARD).
Paris, who lost Elisa de Almeida in the penalty scene because of yellow-red and had to play outnumbered for the last half hour, now need a win at Lower Saxony next Thursday to progress.
The first surprise came even before kick-off: national player Lena Oberdorf, who had not been scheduled for the game in advance due to a sprained knee, was suddenly in coach Stroot’s starting line-up. “The healing process has progressed rapidly. She has been completely pain-free for two days,” said Ralf Kellermann, sporting director of the VfL women: “If it were different, we wouldn’t take any risks.”
The Wolves started nervously with Oberdorf, but came up with the first chance out of nowhere: An attempted pass by Parisian goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi landed directly on Ewa Pajor, and de Almeida blocked the Pole’s attempt (11′). On the other side, the ex-Wolfsburg player Ramona Bachmann failed after a good half hour at Merle Frohms.
VAR takes PSG penalty back
In the second round, referee Rebecca Welch initially pointed to the spot after an alleged foul by Wolfsburg’s Marina Hegering on Sakina Karchaoui (54′). But then the VAR reported: Before contact with Karchaoui, the DFB player had touched the ball slightly – no penalty.
Almost in return, Oberdorf headed de Almeida’s hand after a corner, again the VAR interrupted the game: the French player was sent off and VfL were penalized. Janssen took the chance and turned ice cold.
Previously, Chelsea had put themselves in a good starting position. The English series champions won 1-0 at reigning Champions League winners Olympique Lyon with a goal from Guro Reit (28th).