On the 16th matchday of the women’s Bundesliga, there could be a change at the top of the table in Munich on Saturday (live on the first and on sportschau.de).
Can Bayern Munich push VfL Wolfsburg off the top of the table or is there a preliminary decision about the championship? After exhausting performances in the Champions League, the signs are a bit unclear for both sides.
The hostesses have the advantage of a slightly longer break, especially since they didn’t have to travel. In addition, their performance against Arsenal was more convincing despite being under pressure, Wolfsburg did not look confident against PSG even with a majority.
VfL was so focused on keeping the midfield tight that their own counterplay was completely sacrificed: instead of a fast winger like Sveindís Jane Jónsdóttir or Jule Brand, Alexandra Popp played in the left midfield, Ewa Pajor was mostly in the left despite a large radius of action Air.
Wolfsburg’s Tommy Stroot will have to come up with something else against Bayern Munich’s strong midfield.
Both contenders for the Champions League qualifier play back-to-back against SGS Essen: Eintracht Frankfurt already won their game last week, Hoffenheim’s turn this week. The Ruhr area club itself has nothing to do with international business, but there was an anniversary during the week, because the ball has been rolling in women’s soccer at SGS for 50 years.
The club recalled the founding in 1973 and other milestones in history, such as the surprising promotion to the Bundesliga in 2004, when they “only” wanted to qualify for the first division, which was single-track for the first time – but the team just overachieved played well. Participation in the premier league was intended as a one-year experiment for financial reasons, instead they have now been in the premier league for 19 years without interruption.
In Freiburg, the squad for the coming season is already taking shape. After the contracts with several top performers were extended in winter, the goalkeeper trio is now fixed, because young talent Julia Kassen from VfL Wolfsburg comes from Wolfsburg. The winner of the Fritz Walter Medal in silver should develop alongside Rafaela Borggräfe and Lena Nuding.
In addition, according to ‘Soccerdonna’, a transfer exclamation point is in the offing, because SC is said to be about to sign Cologne’s Ally Gudorf, whose contract is expiring. That would be a clear signal that the Freiburg women would like to play for the Champions League places in the future. Against Leverkusen this season it’s all about establishing themselves in the secure middle of the table.
MSV recently presented itself weakly against Werder Bremen and rarely took the initiative for the home game to be played against the direct competition. When they meet Eintracht, who are currently in good form, Duisburg’s defense is likely to face far greater problems. The only thing that could play into MSV’s cards was that the Frankfurt women were wasteful with their own chances.
Frankfurt coach Niko Arnautis hinted that his players have gotten better at holding their own against a stronghold: “We are now used to this compactness from many teams and have solved it well so far.” For their own defense, Eintracht secured the services of Anna Aehling for the coming season, the 22-year-old defensive all-rounder extended her contract by one year.
“Everything Everywhere All At Once” is an Oscar-winning film about parallel universes, but it could just as easily be the desperate motto of Potsdam’s defensive line, which regularly seems to be thrown upside down. The reality in which the turbine still manages to turn the tide has not yet been found, despite winning the first point since the start of the season. And now, of all things, the competition in the relegation battle, which was also awarded the Oscar, comes from Emsland.
The women of SV Meppen were awarded the Sports Oscar in the category for their promotion season “Team of the Year 2022” excellent. Against Leverkusen, Carin Bakhuis’ team once again dared to be a bit more offensive than last time, for another prize-worthy season, SV can’t afford to slip up against Potsdam.