Bayer 04 Women end Hinrunde with defeat in Bremen

The Bayer 04 Women suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Werder Bremen in the final match in the Hinrunde in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga. Nikola Karczewska (21') scored for the visitors with an own goal from Synne Skinnes Hansen (76’) and a late strike from Jasmin Sehan (90+1') ensuring victory for Werder Bremen. Leverkusen remain on 16 points after eleven games.

Compared with the last Bundesliga outing, the 4-1 win against MSV Duisburg, head coach Robert de Pauw made three changes to his starting XI. Lilla Turányi, Sofie Zdebel and Verena Wieder came into the line-up in place of Emilie Bragsta, the injured captain Elisa Senß and Paulina Bartz.

The first chance on stadium pitch 11 at the Weserstadion fell to the hosts. Chiara Hahn just missed the target with a long-range effort from 20 metres out (3'). Shortly after that, the Bayer 04 keeper Friederike Repohl had to receive treatment after a collision with Maja Sternad but the 29 year-old was able to continue playing (10'). The Werder Women were initially the livelier team. The first threat to the Werder goal came from a corner: Kristin Kögel crossed to the near post where the keeper Livia Peng just beat Turányi to the ball.

KArczewska scores

The Black and Reds then took the lead with their first real goalscoring opportunity. Skinnes Hansen fired in a shot that Peng had to parry. Karczewska took her chance for the tap-in (21'), it was her sixth goal of the season. The match was evenly balanced after that. The visitors were alert in defence and Bremen looked to respond but lacked creativity. There was not much goalmouth action at either end before half-time.

Senß replaced Zdebel for the start of the second half - and the Werder Women were first out of the blocks after the restart. Sternad broke down the left and hit a shot from a tight angle into the side netting. Shortly after that, striker Sophie Weidauer missed a cross in the six yard box (52'). Karczewska had the first chance in the second half at the other end. From an accurate cross by Kögel, Peng saved her header but she was able to put the rebound into the net only for it to be ruled offside (58').

De Pauw made two changes on 66 minutes. Estrella Merino Gonzalez and Loreen Bender replaced Wieder and Kögel. The game remained hard-fought and a corner brought the equaliser for the hosts. Werder Bremen pressed at the near post and forced an own goal from Skinnes Hansen (76').

Julie Jorde (for Karczewska) made her Bundesliga debut for the Bayer 04 Women, and Sylwia Matysik (for Caroline Siems) also came off the bench for the final minutes (87’). The game was turned round in added time with Werder substitute Sehan scoring with a header (90+1').

Rückrunde start against Wolfsburg

The Bayer 04 Women start the Rückrunde on Sunday 4 February (kick-off: 14.00 CET, live on MagentaSport and DAZN) with a home game against VfL Wolfsburg who were top of the table at the winter break. Tickets for the match against last year's Champions League finalists at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium are available here.

Match stats:

Werder Bremen: Peng - Hahn (Kunkel 62'), Ulbrich, Brandenburg, Nemeth, Lührßen - Wirtz - Walkling (Dieckmann 62'), Hausicke (Mahmoud 46’) - Weidauer (Sehan 78’), Sternad (Meyer 88’).

Bayer 04: Repohl - Ostermeier, Friedrich, Turányi - Skinnes Hansen, Zdebel (Senß 46’), Kögel (Bender 66’), Siems (Matysik 87’) - Vilhjálmsdóttir - Karczewska (Jorde 87’), Wieder (Merino Gonzalez 66’)

Goals: 0-1 Karczewska (21’), 1-1 Nemeth (76’), 2-1 Sehan (90+1’)

Yellow cards: Weidauer / Kögel, Skinnes Hansen

Referee: Franziska Wildfeuer (Lützen)

Attendance: 954 at pitch 11 at the Weserstadion