The inaugural match for the Germany U23 team ended in victory under captain Kristin Kögel: Germany beat France 3-0 in a U23 international at the DFB Campus in Frankfurt. The skipper Kögel and Katharina Piljic played the full game. For the second friendly against the Italy U23 team, coach Kathrin Peter included another Leverkusen player in Julia Mickenhagen. The Germany U23 team drew 2-2 with Italy in Florence. Kögel did not play, Piljic (46’) and Mickenhagen (82’) came on as substitutes in the second half.
For Lilla Turanyi and Hungary, the quest for a place at the European Championship finals in Switzerland next summer is over. In the first round of the Euro qualifier play-offs, they lost 1-0 in Budapest and the return match in Edinburgh ended in a 4-0 defeat. Defender Turanyi played the full 90 minutes in both games.
The international break was a little more successful for Denmark with Cornelia Kramer in the squad. The striker did not play in Denmark's 5-0 win against South Africa but made an astonishing international debut in the friendly against the Netherlands in Esbjerg four days later: Kramer came off the bench on 85 minutes and scored her first international goal two minutes later. Unfortunately, the 21-year-old was unable to prevent Denmark losing 2-1.
Her Leverkusen teammate Karolina Lea Vilhjalmsdottir clocked up the most air miles with Iceland in two friendlies against the USA. Iceland lost both games 3-1. The first match against the USA team in Austin saw Vilhjalmsdottir come on as a substitute on 85 minutes. The 23-year-old started in the second friendly in Nashville and gave Iceland the lead with a goal from a corner on 31 minutes.
Emilie Bragstad played one friendly with her national team. The defender was on the winning side with the Norway U23 team in a 3-0 victory against the Portugal U23s. Bragstad played the whole game in Melgaco in Portugal. The Germany U19 squad was also in Portugal for a DFB training camp with the two Bayer 04 Women Delice Boboy and Estrella Merino Gonzalez called up. The two Leverkusen forwards played from the start in a 2-1 defeat against Norway. In the second friendly against the Netherlands U19 side, the team coached by Michael Urbansky drew 2-2 after being 2-0 down. Merino Gonzalez and Boboy were again in the starting line-up.
Bosnia U19 international Kerim Alajbegovic is moving from Bayer 04 Leverkusen's youth set-up to Red Bull Salzburg. The talented attacking midfielder has signed a long-term contract with the Austrian club. At the same time, the works club secured a buy-back option for the 17-year-old, who was one of the mainstays of the Leverkusen U19s.
Show moreThe Werkself are away to Premier League club Chelsea in the final pre-season friendly. The game against the current holders of the UEFA Conference League is on Friday, 8 August at Stamford Bridge with the kick-off at 20:00 CEST. Read on for information on ticket sales.
Show moreThe Werkself are away to Dutch top-flight club Fortuna Sittard in the third pre-season friendly. The match is on Friday, 1 August at the Fortuna Sittard stadium with the kick-off at 19:00 CEST. Read on for information on ticket sales.
Show moreThe Werkself are away to VfL Bochum in the second pre-season friendly. The match is on Sunday, 27 July at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion with the kick-off at 18:00 CEST. Read on for the latest information on ticket sales.
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