Women share points in 2-2 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt

Bayer 04 coach Roberto Pätzold fielded the same starting XI as in the Bundesliga opener at SC Freiburg and he made two changes to the line-up for the 2-0 win away to Karlsruher SC in the DFB Pokal: Lilla Turanyi took over from Emilie Bragstad in central defence, Caroline Kehrer started in attack in place of Estrella Merino Gonzalez. Leverkusen again had to manage without the sidelined players Charlotte Voll, Melissa Friedrich and Paulina Bartz plus Loreen Bender and Sofie Zdebel who are set to play for the Germany U20 team against the USA overnight on Monday in the World Cup quarter-finals in Colombia.

great move for opener

The match took off from the start: Less than 90 seconds had been played when Frankfurt’s Laura Freigang hit a cross from the right against the bar – Bayer 04 captain Friederike Repohl in goal would have stood no chance (2’). After Leverkusen lost possession in midfield, Freigang started a promising counter-attack, which was foiled by the timely intervention of Selina Ostermeier (11'). The first goal then came at the other end after a brilliant move from the hosts: Via Juliette Vidal and Kristin Kögel the ball came to Janou Levels who provided a pinpoint cross from the left where Caroline Kehrer was in the right spot to make it 1-0 from close range (14').

Kögel scores with a header

Bayer 04 skilfully closed down space – and soon doubled the lead: From a free kick taken by Cornelia Kramer, Kristin Kögel dropped back from the six-yard box and headed the ball into the far corner – 2-0 for the very efficient Leverkusen Women's team (25'). Eintracht Frankfurt mounted few attacks with Repohl easily parrying an attempt by Barbara Dunst (41'). And then Eintracht came back into the game just before half-time when Reuteler put her foot out to a cross from Dunst to pull a goal back at 2-1 (45+2'). That was the scoreline at half-time.

A header from Karolina Lea Vilhjalmsdottir saw the ball hit the hand of Pia-Sophie Wolter but no penalty was awarded (55'). The Frankfurt team made changes up front bringing on Nicole Anyomi and Chiba (57'). That paid off straightaway: Anyomi's cross was turned into the net at the near post by Chiba to level at 2-2 (58'). Bayer 04 made a substitution with Estrella Merino Gonzalez coming on for Vilhjalmsdottir (65’). A corner from Kramer was met by Kehrer but her header went just over the Eintracht Frankfurt bar (73'). Both sides battled to the finish and gave nothing away in an intense encounter. Eintracht upped the pressure in the final minutes but Bayer 04 stood firm and succeeded in preventing Freigang and Anyomi making it 3-2 (86'). The match ended in a fair 2-2 draw.

DFB Pokal DRAW then away to Essen

Before the Bayer 04 Women next play in the Bundesliga against SGS Essen on matchday three on Saturday, 21 September (kick-off: 14.00 CEST), the Leverkusen Women will be eagerly awaiting the draw for the Round of 16 in the DFB Pokal on Monday, 16 September from 20.30 CEST.

Match stats

Bayer 04: Repohl – Skinnes Hansen, Ostermeier, Turanyi, Levels – Piljic, Vidal – Vilhjalmsdottir (Merino Gonzalez 65'), Kögel – Kehrer (Boboy 86'), Kramer

Eintracht Frankfurt: Johannes – Wolter (Aehling 62'), Doorsoun, Kleinherne, Riesen – Senß, Gräwe (Chiba 57'), Freigang, Dunst – Reuteler (Wamser 90'), Prasnikar (Anyomi 57')

Goals: 1-0 Kehrer (14’), 2-0 Kögel (25’), 2-1 Reuteler (45+2’), 2-2 Chiba (58’)

Yellow cards: Ostermeier, Levels, Kögel – Reuteler, Riesen

Referee: Franziska Wildfeuer (Lützen)

Attendance: 1,193 at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium