After the late 2-1 home win against Hamburger SV, there were two changes to the starting XI. Goalkeeper Charlotte Voll and centre-back Lilla Turanyi, who both missed two games through suspension, replaced Anne Moll and Melissa Friedrich. In a fast start to the game, the action was mostly in between the two penalty areas, but there were initially no clear-cut chances despite a number of quick transitions by Leverkusen. On 13 minutes, Fudalla just failed to connect with a whipped-in cross from Caroline Kehrer, who scored the late winner against HSV.
Julia Mickenhagen tried a long-range effort from a cleared corner on 21 minutes but Laura Benkarth in the SC Freiburg goal made the save. Both teams struggled to find space in midfield and rarely found decisive gaps. After the half-hour mark, Fudalla had the first good chance on goal: The powerful shot by Leverkusen's most prolific striker to date from the left side of the penalty area forced Benkarth to make a flying save (31'). Kristin Kögel played a great pass to Kehrer five minutes later but she failed to find the target with her shot.
At the other end, Voll had to intervene for the first time shortly before the break to keep out a shot from Aurelie Csillag. From the ensuing corner, the keeper had to stretch herself to deny Nia Szenk. In stoppage time, Kögel failed to beat Benkarth with a shot on the turn after a precise diagonal ball from Selina Ostermeier. After an intense first half, the teams went into half-time with the scoreline at 0-0.
Freiburg came out for the second half the break in determined mood. After 20 seconds, a solo run by Csillag across half the pitch ended with a lob from an acute angle, which Voll managed to save with her fingertips. The Bayer 04 Women also played with a higher tempo in the second half and slowly established themselves in their opponents' half in the first quarter of an hour of the second 45. A cross from Mickenhagen ended up with Kehrer, whose volley was deflected (56').
During this phase, Leverkusen repeatedly played down Mickenhagen's left flank, but their attacking efforts in the centre failed time and again due to the final ball. Shortly afterwards, the Werkself struck for the first time in the midst of a brief period of pressure. Loreen Bender crossed from the right into the box, where Fudalla was in the perfect position to nod her free header into the left corner (65') - her seventh goal of the season.
However, the lead only lasted three minutes. During a counter-attack, substitute Leela Egli found Tessa Blumenberg, who had run on to the ball. The forward, who had also only just come on as a substitute, just had to slot home (69'). Valentina Mädl then came on for Kögel in the Leverkusen attack. After the setback, Bayer 04 worked hard to regain the lead, but were repeatedly blocked. Instead, SCF struck late on with a goal scored from a counter-attack. After winning the ball, Blumenberg was clean through on Voll and she tucked the ball past the keeper for her brace (87'). The 26-year-old then collided with Turanyi and had to be substituted after the collision. This meant that Anne Moll came on for the final few minutes alongside Friedrich (for Sofie Zdebel). Moll's shot from close range deep into stoppage time was blocked. The match ended in an unlucky 2-1 defeat.
The Werkself are back in action with a DFB Pokal tie in six days. On Sunday, 16 November (kick-off: 15:00 CET), Pätzold's team will face Hamburger SV in the Round of 16 at the Volksparkstadion, as they did in the league last Wednesday. Away tickets are available HERE. The next home match at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium is on Saturday, 22 November (14:00 CET) against SGS Essen. Click HERE for tickets for the home game.
Match stats:
SC Freiburg: Benkarth - Szenk, Ojukwu (Schneider 74’), Stegemann, Karl - Felde, Maas (Sigurdardottir 74’) - Vobian, Kolb (Blumenberg 66’), Csillag (Fölmli 82’) - Birkholz (Egli 66’)
Bayer 04: Voll (Moll 89’) - Merino Gonzalez, Ostermeier, Turanyi, Mickenhagen - Zdebel (Friedrich 89’), Piljic - Bender, Kögel (Mädl 71’) - Kehrer, Fudalla
Goals: 0-1 Fudalla (65'), 1-1 Blumenberg (69'), 2-1 Blumenberg (87')
Yellow cards: Turanyi, Pätzold
Referee: Selina Menzel (Stutensee)
Attendance: 1,555 at the Dreisamstadion
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