Head coach Achim Feifel made one change to his starting line-up after the 3-1 win at Leipzig: Sylwia Matysik started in place of Henrike Sahlmann who dropped down to the bench.
The Black and Reds were on the front foot from the kick-off and they endeavoured to get forward straight away. The first decent chance on goal came on seven minutes: Milena Nikolić broke through after a mistake in a Bremen build-up and ended up in a one-on-one with Anneke Borbe but the Werder keeper pulled off a great save.
The goalkeeper was centre stage again seconds later as Leverkusen came within a hair’s breadth of taking the lead from the ensuing corner: Melissa Friedrich hit a volley at the far post but Borbe was in the right spot to make a sensational reflex save.
The Bremen keeper was beaten minutes later: Dora Zeller picked out Verena Werder with a great pass, she broke into the box and played the ball to Irina Pando. The Swiss only had to stick out a foot – 1-0 to Bayer 04 and also the first Bundesliga goal for Pando.
In response, Werder were livelier as they pushed for an equaliser. The Feifel team succeeded in keeping the opposition away from their own penalty area and succeeded in maintaining the narrow lead at half-time.
The Black and Reds needed time to get going again up front after the restart – and it was Verena Wieder who scored again for Bayer 04: From a long ball, the captain first took a sidestep and then hit a shot across Borbe into the bottom left corner – 2-0 (62’). It was the third goal in succession for Wieder after netting against Potsdam and Leipzig.
Bremen endeavoured to pull a goal back but were kept out several times by the impressive Anna Klink in the Bayer 04 goal – who could also rely on her teammates up front as Pando sealed victory for Leverkusen with ten minutes to play: From a Zeller corner, the 26-year-old remained calm in a melee and put the ball in the back of the net – 3-0 (80’).
“Werder played well. We went into the game with a good plan and were very aggressive,” said Verena Wieder about the away win before adding: “We created goalscoring opportunities and also took them. I’m incredibly happy.”
The Bayer 04 Women are back in action on Friday, 8 October, in the FLYERALARM Women’s Bundesliga. Feifel’s team play SC Sand. The match at Ulrich Haberland Stadium kicks off at 19.15 CEST.
Match stats:
Bayer 04: Klink – Matysik, Friedrich, Wirtz, Siems (Zdebel 83’) – Wieder (Bücher 74’), Kögel (Marti 46’), Gräwe (Sahlmann 83’) – Zeller (Arafoui 83’) – Pando, Nikolic.
Werder Bremen: Borbe – Timmermann, Ulbrich, Hausicke, Toth – Walkling (Meyer 64’), Dieckmann, Gidion – Wichmann, Sehan (Weiß 83’), Lührßen (Sternad 55’).
Goals: 0-1 Pando (17’), 0-2 Wieder (62’), 0-3 Pando (80’)
Booked: Ulbrich, Gidion – Wieder
Referee: Mirka Derlin (Bad Schwartau)
A first win in the preseason: In the last friendly before the start of a two-week break in training, the Bayer 04 Women beat top-flight Dutch side Ajax 1-0. In the match played over three 30-minute thirds Vanessa Fudalla scored the goal for the Werkself. In the previous two friendlies this summer, the team led by head coach Roberto Pätzold lost 2-0 two Bundesliga rivals TSG Hoffenheim and drew 1-1 with the Dutch team PEC Zwolle.
Show moreThe current Werkself player Arthur, global star Vinícius Júnior and Brazil legend Zico – they all played for the youth teams at CR Flamengo. The U20 team at the big club from Rio de Janeiro is one of the best academies in Brazil and has produced a lot of stars as well as securing national and international trophies over the past few years. Ahead of the friendly against the Werkself today, Friday 18 July (kick-off: 14:30/19:30 CEST) bayer04.de profiles the highly successful youth team.
Show moreAlejo Sarco has joined the Werkself training camp in Brazil. The 19-year-old striker, signed from Argentinian club Vélez Sarsfield in January, talks to bayer04.de about his first six months in Germany, help from Exequiel Palacios and his targets up to the end of the year.
Show moreThe friendly against the CR Flamengo U20 team on Friday, 18 July (kick-off: 14:30/19:30 CEST) represents the sporting highlight of the current Bayer 04 Brazil Tour. Ahead of the clash at the Estádio da Gávea against the highly successful youth team, there was a media event with the two Bayer 04 managing directors Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes plus head coach Erik ten Hag. The trio talked about the forthcoming opponents, first impressions of Brazil and the reasons for holding the training camp in the land of the five-time World Cup winners. Here are the key statements.
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