Cup quarter-final: Call for discipline and mentality

Following the 2-0 defeat to MSV Duisburg on Saturday, head coach Achim Feifel said, “we discussed our performance yesterday and analysed the game.” His team’s approach to the cup tie is clear: “We have to be more disciplined against Hoffenheim and defend with more mentality. We will wait for one or two chances on the break against an opponent who are actually the favourites.”

For the 55-year-old, one of Hoffenheim’s biggest strengths is their quality on the pitch: “They’re a very skilful and, above all, well-practised team with a positive build-up and variable attacking game. In addition, they have a very dangerous striker in their squad in Nicole Billa. They are also very dangerous from set pieces with a number of players who are good in the air.”

The route to the quarter-finals

This season’s DFB Cup campaign started with a 2-1 away win at Borussia Mönchengladbach. That was followed by a hard-fought 1-0 victory FFC Frankfurt that took the Bayer 04 Women through to the last eight. Hoffenheim have clocked up convincing away wins in the their cup run with a 7-0 scoreline at Hessen Wetzlar followed by a 6-1 FF USV Jena.

Machtens returns to squad

The personnel situation remains unchanged after the Duisburg game: The long-term absentees Melissa Friedrich, Pauline Wimmer (both cruciate injuries) and Karoline Heinze (back problems) are still sidelined and the game comes too soon for Isabel Kerschowski (muscular problems). Pauline Machtens has returned to the squad.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the match will be played behind closed doors. Fans of the Werkself Women can watch the tie live on DFB-TV (tv.dfb.de).