Women’s Bundesliga: VfL women turn game against Freiburg

by Tobias Knaack

In a way, the game was exactly the opposite of the one about three weeks ago in the round of 16 of the DFB Cup (3:1). Back then, the VfL women delivered a very dominant performance for much of the game. Coach Stephan Lerch’s team was a long way from that on Friday.

“After the short preparation time, I’m super happy that we have the three points. We can continue to build on that.”

VfL coach Stephan Lerch

However, the Wolfsburg women followed a weaker first half with a strong second and turned the game around thanks to the first goals of the season from Justine Kielland (51′) and Caitlin Dijkstra (68′) as well as a goal from Alexandra Popp in the final phase (88′). Leela Egli took Freiburg’s early lead with a great long-range shot (11th). “We perhaps lacked determination in the first half,” Lerch told NDR: “We did better in the second half, went into the actions with more conviction and kept the pressure up.”

Thanks to their success, the Lower Saxony team consolidated second place and reduced the gap to league leaders FC Bayern Munich (against Eintracht Frankfurt) to three points, at least until Sunday. It continues on Tuesday with the important Champions League game at Real Madrid (9 p.m., in the NDR Livecenter). In the league, the team has to travel to 1. FC Nürnberg next Saturday (December 13th, 2 p.m.).

Results, table standings and match days at a glance.

VfL is having a hard time – Egli scores fantastically for Freiburg

The Wolfsburg team initially had a hard time finding their way into the game. Freiburg acted – unlike in the DFB Cup duel – much more confidently and took a fantastic lead with the first chance. Selina Vobian passed from the left to Egli, who, after receiving the ball, shot it into the right corner from the edge of the penalty area. No chance for VfL keeper Stina Johannes (11th).

Coach Lerch was – loudly – not satisfied with his team’s performance. “Height,” he shouted and demanded that his players push forward and apply more pressure. It got better – but only a little. Popp after crosses (16th and 19th) and Lena Lattwein after a corner (31st) had header opportunities.

However, it wasn’t really dangerous for the goal guarded by Laura Benkarth. This was due to the good defense of SCF central defender Greta Stegemann and Co. – but above all it was due to the overall erratic performance of the hosts over long stretches of the first half.

Especially on the left side with Cora Zicai and Judit Pujols, the Lerch protégés left the available space unused due to wrong decisions and inaccuracies in the passing game. And if they got through, the crosses often flew past their teammates. One exception: Zicai won the ball strongly against Tessa Blumenberg and passed it to Popp in the box, who, however, finished a bit hectically and missed (42′). The score was 0-1 in the locker room.

Wolfsburg significantly better – and with the equalizer

But the “Wolfs” came out of the break transformed – and equalized almost immediately. Kielland hit a cross from the left towards Popp. However, she didn’t get to the ball, which – slightly deflected by Stegemann – hit the far corner (51′). As relatively fortunate as the equalizer was in its creation, the VfL women deserved it afterwards. Because Popp (53rd) and Pujols (54th) immediately had opportunities to completely turn the game around.

Lattwein’s chance was even better just ten minutes later. At the end of the most beautiful move of the game – Popp let a low cross from the left through, Svenja Huth then backheeled it – but her left-foot shot went just past the left corner (63′).

Dijkstra takes advantage of Benkarth’s mistake, Popp makes everything clear

A little later, however, the time had come – and again a woman from Freiburg was involved. The previously confident Benkarth let a Kielland shot from 18 meters in a central position ricochet forward, the moved-up central defender Dijkstra dusted off (68th).

The guests struggled, but they didn’t have a real chance to score in the second half. And so the Lerch team took advantage of a counterattack opportunity: Substitute Janina Minge sent Popp on his way with a nice pass. The striker ran towards Benkarth alone and slotted in coldly (88′). And so the game, which had gone so differently, ultimately had the same result as the cup duel.

The 14 clubs in the women’s Bundesliga want to surprisingly found the planned league association without the DFB. The umbrella organization appears surprised but is willing to continue talking.