What a spectacle in the women’s Bundesliga: eight goals were scored in a fast-paced game between SGS Essen and promoted team RB Leipzig.
On Friday evening (February 9th, 2024), SGS Essen and RB Leipzig separated 4:4 (2:4). Essen’s Laureta Elmazi (3rd minute) started the scoring in the stadium on Hafenstrasse, the brilliant Natasha Kowalski scored a brace (25th, 51st) and also set up Annalena Rieke (60th) for the fourth SGS goal. The Leipzig goals were scored by Mimmi Larsson (14th), Vanessa Fudalla (26th, 28th) and Frederike Kempe (39th).
Lightning start for SGS Essen: Elmazi takes the lead
The game started quickly. Leipzig appeared disorganized early on, wasn’t fully there yet – and after a deep pass, Ramona Maier was through, she picked up her head and passed it across to Elmazi – giving the hosts the lead. Just a little later, Leipzig’s Fudalla took a free kick directly at the SGS goal, Essen’s 17-year-old goalkeeper Pia Lucassen just wiped the ball out of the corner with a brilliant save (6th).
Both Essen and RB started high at the beginning, wanted to win balls early and stress their opponents during the build-up to the game. But RB then showed itself to be stronger in terms of play and solved some pressure situations excellently. After a quick attack, Larsson was through – also because Beke Sterner slipped past the ball – and the Leipzig player stayed cool in front of Lucassen.
Fudalla shocks SGS with a quick double
The tempo remained high, the fans in the stadium on Hafenstrasse saw a game with an open mind. Kowalski was awarded a penalty kick – in a phase in which Leipzig definitely dominated the game. The fouled woman shot herself and safely converted to take the lead again.
Directly in response, Jacqueline Meißner deflected a shot from Fudalla into an unstoppable position. And Leipzig proved to be ruthlessly efficient. Because shortly afterwards, the next RB goal was almost identical to Leipzig’s 1-1: pass, Meißner narrowly missed this time and Fudalla pushed in perfectly in a one-on-one with Lucassen.
Essen also contributed to the offensive spectacle in the first half. Lilli Purtscheller’s shot wasn’t successful, but it forced Elvira Herzog into a brilliant save in the Leipzig goal (42′).
RB Leipzig mercilessly efficient
And things continued lively before the half-time whistle. Jenny Hipp’s free kick found Frederike Kempe at the second post, who prevailed in the aerial battle with Lena Ostermeier and scored the fourth goal with Leipzig’s fifth goal.
Particularly bitter for Essen: Ostermeier had to go down injured afterward; she had apparently injured her arm in this scene. The left-back disappeared into the dressing room early, but re-entered the pitch for the second half with her forearm bandaged.
Driver Kowalski leads Essen to equalize
And SGS trainer Markus Högner apparently chose the right words in the dressing room. Because Essen came back onto the field foaming at the mouth and initially dominated the game. Kowalski in particular spun and went ahead, and her goal was logical: Sterner’s cross was not cleared by the Leipzig defense, Kowalski hit the net with a well-considered shot.
And Kowalski remained the hosts’ great asset. Shortly after the 3:4 she was also partly responsible for the equalizer, because her lob was headed into the goal by Annalena Rieke on the line – to huge cheers from the Essen fans.
In the final quarter of an hour, Essen stayed on the trigger and pressed enormously. Maier found substitute Maike Berentzen at the second post with a cross, who headed the ball narrowly past (82′). Maier also failed because of Herzog (86th). So in the end it remained a spectacular 4:4.
Difficult task: SGS travels to Munich
The next 14th matchday is the SGS Eat a real challenge ahead. Then the Essen women travel to the top team FC Bayern Munich (Sunday, 4 p.m.).
