Bundesliga, Match Day 8: Top three pace away

by Olaf Goldbecker

During the week, SC Bad Neuenahr surprised Bayern Munich and jumped to fourth place by a 1-0 win in a makeup game. Leonie Maier was the lone goalscorer. These were the Sunday games:

VfL Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen 7:0 (5:0)
Wolfsburg is the most convincing team at the moment. After the Champions League win they also left Leverkusen without any chance. After Martina Müller opened the scoring in minute 15 they were unstoppable. Zsanett Jakabfi, Alexandra Popp twice and Lena Goeßling by penalty kick increased the lead prior to the half, while Martina Müller added two for her hat trick afterwards. The win leaves Wolfsburg with 21-0 goals after six games.

Turbine Potsdam v SG Essen-Schönebeck 5:1 (3:0)
After an unconvincing performance in London, Potsdam faced Essen, a team which is not easy to play for top teams, which is why this game was expected with some curiosity. Yet Potsdam delivered a strong performance and controlled the game. Antonia Göransson, Lisa Evans and Keelin Winters scored in the first half. In period two, Göransson completed her hat trick, in between Ina Mester marked the consolation goal for her team.

FCR Duisburg v 1.FFC Frankfurt 1:3 (0:2)
This time Frankfurt left no doubt who would win the game. Kim Kulig after ten minutes set the rails to the right direction and former Duisburg Lion Simone Laudehr added before the break. Right afterwards Sandrine Bretigny added goal number three. With eight minutes left on the clock, Mandy Islacker got her team on the scoreboard.

SC Freiburg v SC Bad Neuenahr 1:0 (1:0)
An open game was expected between two mid table teams who are in the race for the title. “Best of the Rest” (aka rank 4). Fiona O’Sullivan netted in for 1-0 after 19 minutes and this already remained the lonely goal of the day.

VfL Sindelfingen v Bayern München 0:4 (0:1)
It’s not working too well for Munich so far and the game at newly promoted Sindelfingen was a must win match for them. Niki Cross got her team on the right path after half an hour but it took up to about an hour until the points were finally sealed. Lena Lotzen and Victoria Schnaderbeck cared for the decision, while Sarah Hagen later on added for the final score.

FSV Gütersloh v FF USV Jena 0:1 (0:0)
A key match in the relegation battle was low level competition for most of the time. Gütersloh had more playing quality but required thirty minutes to shake off their nervousness and be the better team. Yet Jena proved to be the better fighters and the poor build up game of Gütersloh’s defense always gave them chances to intervene and get dangerous. The lonely goal of the day resulted from a free kick by Kathleen Radtke in minute 84.

Situation: Three pace away, Frankfurt has 19 points, Potsdam trails with 18 (one game less) and Wolfsburg has 16 (two games less). The preliminary title best of the rest goes to Bad Neuenahr at 12 points, followed by Freiburg (10, one less), Munich (two less) and Essen, both at 9. Jena climbed away from the relegation endangered spots with 8 pts. In direct danger are Gütersloh (two less) and Duisburg, both at 7 pts. Remaining on the relegation spots are Leverkusen and Sindelfingen with four points each.

Next weekend delivers the top match Wolfsburg v Frankfurt. During the week Bayern Munich will face Gütersloh in a makeup game.