Women: Impressive reaction in 2-0 win against Potsdam

After the setback of the 2-1 defeat against Essen, the Werkself Women went into matchday 3 in the FLYERALARM Women’s Bundesliga - without the captain Kristin Kögel. The Leverkusen Women needed time to get going on Friday night (10.09.21) against battling and well-organised visitors. “Potsdam were on top in the first half and posed more of a threat on goal,” admitted the Bayer 04 coach Achim Feifel.

After the right team talk at half-time, the hosts upped their game. “The team realised: We’re in with a chance today and they started the second half with greater desire and aggression,” praised Feifel.

impressive save by abt

Shortly after the restart, Irina Pando fired the first shot on goal (48’). Potsdam were less and less of a threat and Friederike Abt in the Bayer 04 goal pulled off a really impressive save to keep out the best chance for Turbine in the second half.

The Feifel team were clinical at the other end of the pitch. With a long ball, Verena Wieder exploited a mistake in the Potsdam defence to tuck the ball away into the Turbine goal to make it 1-0 (78’). “She did that really well and that crowned a very committed performance,” said Feifel.

hosts keep going

Potsdam tried to up the pressure again but the Bayer 04 Women responded to the coach’s demands by being alert and compact so that - in contrast to the previous matchday - they did not relinquish their grip on the game.

After winning possession, a great through ball to Milena Nikolic was rounded off with a lob over the Turbine keeper into the net for 2-0 in added time (90+1’). “We defended really well in the second half and took our chances,” declared a happy Nikolic who replaced Kögel as the captain.

confidence for away games

And coach Feifel drew a positive conclusion: “After the defeat against Essen, we were all a bit fed up. But the team came through it. It was a huge step forwards.” With the record of two wins and a defeat, the Werkself Women have made a positive start and go into the international break with confidence.

That is followed by two away games. Bayer 04 are first away to second division RB Leipzig in the DFB Cup on 26 September and then on the road in the FLYERALARM Women’s Bundesliga at Werder Bremen on 3 October.

Match stats:

Bayer 04: Abt – Friedrich, Matysik, Gräwe, Nikolic, Siems, Wirtz, Zeller, Pando (Blagojevic 66’), Turanyi, Wieder (Bücher 81’)

Potsdam: Fischer - Agrez, Plattner, Orschmann (Weidauer 46’), Höbinger, Gerhardt, Ehegötz (Kössler 64’), Sissoko (Mesjasz 54’), K. Holmgard (Barth 69’), S. Holmgard (Kerschowski 64’), Cerci

Goals: 1-0 Wieder (78’), 2-0 Nikolic (90+1’)

Booked: Matysik - Weidauer

Referee: Melissa Joos (Leinfelden-Echterdingen)

Attendance: 222