Kramer nets fifth goal of the season as Bayer 04 Women beat HSV

Bayer 04 Women closed the gap on the teams above them in the Bundesliga with a 2-0 win at home to Hamburger SV on Saturday afternoon. Roberto Pätzold's side bided their time at the Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion before second-half goals from Cornelia Kramer (58') and Lobke Loonen (90'+5) earned them a victory that moves them to within a point of third place, the final Champions League qualification spot.

Pätzold made just one change from the 1-0 defeat at FC Bayern Munich in the DFB Pokal, with Sofie Zdebel starting in place of Caroline Kehrer. In the autumn sunshine, the midfielder promptly registered the first attempt after just 15 seconds, but the ball landed well off target. The visitors gradually settled into the game, making for an even start to the contest. After 18 minutes, a header from Cornelia Kramer lacked the necessary power - which rather summed up this period.

MÄdl goes close

Three minutes later, Kramer tested HSV's Danish goalkeeper Kinga Szemik for the first time after being teed up by strike partner Maja Sternad. At the other end, Lilla Turanyi made a crucial last-ditch challenge to deny ex-Leverkusen player Paulina Bartz. The best opportunity up to that point fell to Valentina Mädl, who headed just wide from captain Carolin Simon's cross. The Black-and-Reds had to remain patient as Hamburg defended with discipline and broke up the Werkself's play. In fact, the visitors almost struck on the stroke of half-time, but goalkeeper Rafaela Borggräfe reacted well one-on-one with striker Melanie Brunnthale to put the ball behind for a corner, and that was it for the first half.

With no changes, the game continued in much the same fashion after the restart. Zdebel had the first chance from an unfamiliar position, but the 22-year-old couldn't generate enough power on her header from the edge of the six-yard box. Pätzold made his first two substitutions shortly after, with Kehrer and Loreen Bender, who'd been suffering with illness recently, replacing Mädl and Zdebel on 56 minutes.

Kramer breaks deadlock

It paid off immediately as Sternad cut the ball back from the byline to Kehrer in the middle, who elected to lay the ball off to Kramer, and the Dane needed no invitation to place the ball into the left corner for her fifth goal of the campaign. Hamburg tried to come up with a reponse but substitute Nikola Karczewska, another ex-Leverkusen player, lacked thrust with her effort. Overall the Werkself were closer to the second goal than the visitors in white.

With a quarter of an hour left, Karczewska missed HSV's big chance to equalise when she was thwarted at close range by Borggräfe, who then required short treatment. Leverkusen shut up shop in the closing stages and protected their lead, without allowing any clear-cut opportunities. Then with the last kick of the game, substitute Loonen hit on the counter to round off a 2-0 win.

up next: monday evening in stuttgart

The Werkself are not back in action until Monday 16 November, when they close Matchday 10 with the meeting at newcomers VfB Stuttgart (18:00 CET).

Match stats:

Bayer 04: Borggräfe - Merino Gonzalez, Turanyi, Ostermeier, Simon - Wenger, Zdebel (Bender 56') - Mädl (Kehrer 56'), Müller (Platner 84') - Kramer (Loonen 84'), Sternad (90'+4 Brandau)

Hamburger SV: Szemik - Doucoure (Martens 84'), Stoldt, Böhler (Matysik 84'), Mirzaliyeva - Machtens (Peneau 68'), Bartz - Eggert (Wrede 68'), Linberg, Morich - Brunnthaler (Karczewska 58')

Goals: 1-0 Kramer (58'), 2-0 Loonen (90'+5)

Yellow cards: Ostermeier / Bartz

Referee: Lara Wolf (Wilhelmshaven)

Attendance: 1,015 at the Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion