Captain Elisa Senß has deservedly earned another call-up thanks to her impressive debut for the Germany team last December in the UEFA Women's Nations League. Friday 23 February (kick-off: 21.00 CET, live on ARD sees Germany play the Olympic hosts France in Lyon in the semi-final not just to determine progress to the Nations League final but also for a place at the summer games. In the event of defeat, the team under Germany coach Horst Hrubesch will have a second chance of qualifying on Wednesday 28 February with a third place play-off against Spain or the Netherlands.
Two other Leverkusen players are in the same competition for two play-off games to the relevant league. Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir, who helped out Senß and Germany in reaching the semi-final stage in December with her winner for Iceland against Denmark, is set to play away and then at home to Serbia to remain in League A. Lilla Turányi with Hungary play Belgium twice as they look to stay in League B. The Polish duo Sylwia Matysik and Nikola Karczewska, who convincingly won Nations League Group B3, have two friendlies against Switzerland.
Three Leverkusen players are away with the Norway U23 squad. Emilie Bragstad and Synne Skinnes Hansen are joined by winter signing Julie Jorde. The trio have a friendly against Spain. Cecilie Johansen is with the Denmark U23 side for two friendly fixtures against the Netherlands and Sweden.
A number of Leverkusen players are away with the Germany youth teams. Michael Urbansky, the new U19 coach, has called up six Bayer 04 Women for two international fixtures against the Netherlands and Italy. Goalkeeper Anne Moll plus outfield players Paulina Bartz, Loreen Bender, Delice Boboy, Estrella Merino Gonzalez and Julia Mickenhagen have been selected. The games in an international tournament serve as preparation for the European Championship qualifiers at the start of April and will be played in La Nucia in Spain. In addition, Sofie Zdebe is in the Germany U20 squad under the coach Kathrin Peter. The team first play the hosts and then Mexico in Alicante.
Forthcoming international fixtures:
Elisa Senß (Germany)
23.02: France vs Germany (UEFA Women’s Nations League, semi-final)
28.02: Game for third place/final
Lilla Turányi (Hungary)
23.02: Hungary vs Belgium (UEFA Women’s Nations League, relegation play-off)
27.02: Belgium vs Hungary (UEFA Women’s Nations League, relegation play-off)
Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir (Iceland)
23.02: Serbia vs Iceland (UEFA Women’s Nations League, relegation play-off)
27.02: Iceland vs Serbia (UEFA Women’s Nations League, relegation play-off)
Sylwia Matysik, Nikola Karczewska (Poland)
23.02: Poland vs Switzerland (Friendly)
27.02: Switzerland vs Poland (Friendly)
Emilie Bragstad, Julie Jorde, Synne Skinnes Hansen (Norway U23s)
27.02: Spain vs Norway (Friendly)
Cecilie Johansen (Denmark U23s)
22.02: Denmark vs Netherlands (Friendly)
25.02: Denmark vs Sweden (Friendly)
Paulina Bartz, Loreen Bender, Delice Boboy, Estrella Merino Gonzalez, Julia Mickenhagen, Anne Moll (Germany U19s)
24.02: Netherlands vs Germany (International tournament)
27.02: Germany vs Italy (International tournament)
Sofie Zdebel (Germany U20s)
22.02: Spain vs Germany (International tournament)
25.02: Germany vs Mexico (International tournament)
A cracker of a semi-final at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The Bayer 04 U19 team entertain Bayern Munich on Saturday, 10 May (kick-off: 11:00 CEST/stadium opens: 10:00 CEST). In front of a home crowd, the team led by head coach Sergi Runge, who welcomes back an attacking player, is looking to build on the battling performances from the previous knockout games and "perform at the right moment." Tickets are available from the Bayer 04 online shop and the game will also be broadcast live on Sky.
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Germany U17 head coach Marc Meister has called up three Bayer 04 youth players for the forthcoming UEFA U17 European Championship. The tournament involving eight teams runs from 19 May to 1 June in Albania.
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"We have mixed feelings overall today," said head coach Xabi Alonso after the 2-2 draw away to SC Freiburg. Bayer 04 were deservedly 2-0 down against the Champions League contenders up to the closing minutes but fought back with a double whammy from Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Tah to earn a point in the end. That maintains the run of unbeaten away games in the Bundesliga – the all-time record has been achieved! The Werkself review.
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Bayer 04 have now gone 33 Bundesliga away games in succession without defeat and thereby equalled the record set by Bayern Munich: Jonathan Tah netted the equaliser at 2-2 in added time away to SC Freiburg on his 400th appearance for the Werkself. SCF took a 2-0 lead with a strike from Maximilian Eggestein (44') and a Piero Hincapie own goal (48') before Florian Wirtz pulled a goal back on 82 minutes.
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