Maiden goals for Zdebel and Boboy give Women victory over Freiburg

Although this was Matchday 12 and technically the first game of the second half of the season, the German FA (DFB) had confirmed on Friday that the result from the first meeting with Freiburg (3-2 win for Leverkusen) had been annulled and will now be replayed on Sunday, 26 January.

Roberto Pätzold made one change to the team that beat Wolfsburg 1-0 last week, as Emilie Bragstad came in for the suspended Selina Ostermeier in central defence.

Zdebel opens off the post

Both teams tried to play on the front foot and were lively from the start, with Freiburg’s Cora Zicai earning a yellow card for a tactical foul after barely 40 seconds. Friederike Repohl produced an excellent save inside nine minutes to prevent an early goal for the visitors, sticking out her left arm to deny Selina Vobian one-on-one on the counter. After that scare, Leverkusen started to control proceedings and soon took the lead themselves when Zdebel latched onto a clearance and fired in from 20 yards off the inside of the post. Having scored her first goal for Bayer 04 in the 1-0 DFB Pokal win over Turbine Potsdam, the midfielder now had her first goal in the Bundesliga too in her 55th appearance.

Momentum was now with the Werkself as Loreen Bender fired over Estrella Merino Gonzalez’s low cross from close range. Things were mostly solid at the other end until right before half-time when Zicai fired wide from outside the box and Repohl clawed away a goal-bound corner in added time.

The first big chance of the second period fell to the hosts as Caroline Kehrer raced through on goal on the counter but couldn’t beat the outstretched foot of Rafaele Borggräfe in the Freiburg net. The visitors then started to see more of the ball and showed glimpses of their individual class in attack. Pätzold reacted to the shift in play by introducing Karolina Lea Vilhjalmsdottir for Bender, prompting a more front-footed approach again as the Werkself went looking for a second.

Boboy was sent on for Cornelia Kramer in the final 15 minutes as Leverkusen allowed the opposition very little beyond some set pieces. As Freiburg pushed for a leveller, it left space in the closing period, allowing Boboy to benefit as she ran clear through and slotted past Borggräfe with the last kick of the game to wrap things up and also get her first-ever Bundesliga goal.

Winter break then replay

The Werkself now have three weeks off for the winter break. The first training session of the new year is scheduled for 6 January. The team will also be heading to Oliva Nova in Spain for a training camp between 12 and 19 January. The first competitive fixture of 2025 will be the replayed game in Freiburg on Sunday, 26 January (12pm CET). The following week sees a visit to leaders Eintracht Frankfurt, with the date and time still to be confirmed.

Match stats:

Bayer 04: Repohl - Merino Gonzalez, Bragstad, Turanyi, Levels - Zdebel (Menglu 83'), Piljic - Bender (Vilhjalmsdottir 64'), Kögel (Vidal 83') - Kramer (Boboy 76'), Kehrer

Freiburg: Borggräfe - Stegemann (Gudorf 68'), Steuerwald (Schasching 68'), Stierli, Karl - Karich, Felde - Egli (Campbell 56'), Vobian (Blumenberg 84'), Zicai - Martinez (Cin 84')

Goals: 1-0 Zdebel (17'), 2-0 Boboy (90'+5)

Yellow cards: Piljic, Kögel, Menglu - Zicai, Karl

Referee: Riem Hussein

Attendance: 629 at the Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion