Compared with the 1-0 win at RB Leipzig, Pätzold made two changes to the starting line-up. Up front, Delice Boboy, who provided the assist in Leipzig for the late winner scored by Kristin Kögel, made her first start with Caroline Kehrer dropping down to the bench. There was also a change in central defence with Emilie Bragstad coming into the team in place of Selina Ostermeier.
The hosts made a dominant start at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium with full-back Janou Levels having the first attempt on goal with a shot from a central position that the Turbine goalkeeper Vanessa Fischer saved (4'). A minute later, a header by Cornelia Kramer from a Kögel cross was kept out by the keeper. At the other end, Potsdam threatened the Werkself goal but Friederike Repohl did not have to intervene (10'). It was different for her opposite number in the Potsdam net: Fischer held up her arms at the right time to save a header by Kramer from another Kögel cross (17').
In steady rain, play in the first 45 minutes was almost exclusively in the Potsdam half. Turbine sat back and waited to play on the counter-attack with the Werkself again and again running into a packed defence. Boboy had the biggest chance up to that point. The 18-year-old received a through ball from Bragstad but she just missed out on opening the scoring on the half-hour mark with a shot going just wide of the target. Fischer was called into action five minutes later to keep out another effort from Boboy. A pass from Levels found Boboy but this time the striker’s shot was turned away for a corner (38'). Just before half-time, Levels had a double chance to score the deserved opener (41'). Kramer was suddenly through after an error in the visitors defence but she fired the ball just over the bar (44'). Turbine Potsdam were fortunate to go into half-time with the scoreline at 0-0.
The second half initially provided a similar spectacle: The Bayer 04 Women pressed for the opener with Turbine Potsdam defending with great passion. First, Kögel and shortly after that Karolina Lea Vilhjalmsdottir missed the chance to make it 1-0 (51’) and then a corner went past a large number of defender's legs and the post (53').
After another Boboy effort, the next big chance fell to Kramer: An accurate cross from Levels was put just wide of the post by the Danish striker from close range (58'). The Leverkusen Women then had the visitors pinned back in their own half. Full-back Estrella Merino Gonzalez tried her luck from a tight angle but the ball was tipped over the bar by Fischer (64').
Pätzold then made his first substitution. Shen Menglu replaced Vilhjalmsdottir (67’). Her teammates then just carried on as before: Levels tried a curler from the edge of the penalty area on the left. The deadlock was then broken just before the final 15 minutes of the game. Levels put Zdebel through on goal and she hit a low shot into the back of the net to make it 1-0 (74') – her first goal in 59 games for the Black and Reds.
For the final few minutes, the Leverkusen coach brought on Juliette Vidal and Caroline Kehrer for Katharina Piljic and the eye-catching Boboy. Shortly after that, the Potsdam defender Jennifer Cramer brought down the substitute Vidal and was rightly shown a second yellow card (83'). Turbine Potsdam endeavoured to level but the Werkself defence gave nothing away.
A lot of Leverkusen Women's team players are on international duty in the coming days. The Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga takes a break next weekend due to the international fixtures. The Werkself return to action on Friday, 6 December (kick-off: 18.00 CET) at the start of Matchday 11 with the top match against league leaders VfL Wolfsburg at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. Tickets for the game are available HERE from the online Bayer 04 ticket shop. The DFB Pokal quarter-final ties will be drawn live on ZDF on 15 December. The matches will be played between 11 and 13 February 2025.
Match stats:
Bayer 04: Repohl - Merino Gonzalez, Bragstad, Turanyi, Levels (Mickenhagen 90+2’) - Zdebel (Daedelow 90+2’), Piljic (Vidal 81’) - Vilhjalmsdottir (Menglu 67’), Kögel - Kramer, Boboy (Kehrer 81’)
Turbine Potsdam: Fischer - Schmid, Kuznezov, Vianden, Bernhardt, Cramer - Hahn - Ito, Krawczyk - Taslidza, Limani
Goals: 1-0 Zdebel (74’)
Sent off: Cramer (83’, persistent foul play)
Yellow cards: Mülder (fitness coach) - Krawczyk, Limani
Referee: Nadine Westerhoff (Bochum)
Attendance: 838 at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium
After eight years in the youth set-up at Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Benjamin Adam is leaving the club. The 35-year-old, who most recently coached the Leverkusen U17s, will take charge of the Hansa Rostock U19 team next season.
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There was a successful end to the women's internationals with Werkself players Carlotta Wamser and Cornelia Kramer qualifying for the 2027 World Cup finals in Brazil. A third Leverkusen player is still in with a chance of joining them. The Germany U23 players also experienced success in their last two international friendlies of the season.
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Traveling to North America for the World Cup this summer to see your favorite Bayer 04 players? Here’s a quick cheat sheet with thumbnail portraits and insider tips for each city from a local expert, so you can make the most of your visit and activities beyond the game!
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A fresh look for the BayArena: The Bayer 04 stadium will have new seating in the form of folding seats for the 2026/27 campaign that will ensure significantly improved seating comfort and simplified movement within the rows of seats. As part of routine replacement after 17 years, fans of the Werkself were able to purchase the existing seats, used to witness the first German league title in the club's history. In addition, a large proportion of the seats will be donated to charitable projects, primarily in the local region. Bayer 04 fans can look forward to new, functional folding seats for the season opener at the beginning of August - still in the club colours of black and red, of course. A glimpse at the BayArena during the refurbishment.
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