The women’s Bundesliga kicked-off a couple of week ago and the usual suspects have set the early pace. Having won the women’s title seven times in the last ten years VfL Wolfsburg are one of the clear favourites, with Bayern Munich (who won the other two titles) up there. Eintracht Frankfurt have started well, whereas SV Meppen prop up the table having lost all three games so far.
The excitement of the European Championships has faded a little now the league has got underway but the Allianz Frauen Bundesliga is looking to build upon the interest and success generated by the international team.
VfL Wolfsburg have begun as expected and have set the early pace as the only side with a 100% record after three games. A 4-0 win over SGS Essen was followed by a much closer match with Hoffenheim, which took two goals in the final five minutes from Jill Roord and Jule Brand to claw victory from the jaws of defeat. Matchday 3 saw normal service resumed with a 6-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen.
Bayern Munich went head-to-head with Eintracht Frankfurt in their season opener (like the men’s team) but were held goalless at the Deutsche Bank Park in front of over 23,000 fans. Matchday 2 saw them beat Werder Bremen at home but the 3-0 scoreline was only achieved with two late goals from Jovana Damnjanović (86) and Linda Dallmann (90). A second win was achieved away to Duisburg (0-4) with Dallmann scoring twice and Lena Schüller also grabbing a brace.
Currently matching Bayern’s points in joint second are Eintracht Frankfurt. After the draw with the Bavarians, the Adler have beaten Freiburg 4-2 away and Werder Bremen 3-1 at home.
Three teams sit on six points having won twice and lost once- 1.FC Köln, Freiburg and Bayer Leverkusen. Köln’s matchday 3 win over Turbine Potsdam was particularly entertaining with six goals in a 4-2 win with a red card to goalkeeper Vanessa Fischer when Potsdam were 2-1 up in the first half. The resulting penalty from Mandy Islacker was saved by substitute keeper Jill Frehse. Three second half goals though saw Köln win with Islacker getting one of them to make up for the penalty miss.
Freiburg have beaten SV Meppen (2-1 away) and Essen (5-2 home) with all five goals coming in the first 45 minutes including a hattrick for Janina Minge. Bayer Leverkusen won their opening two games 1-0 (Duisburg and Köln) before being heavily beaten 6-1 by Wolfsburg.
SV Meppen are the only side to have lost all three matches so far.
The international break that came after matchday 3 brought good news for Germany, but bad news for Bayern Munich. Giulia Gwinn suffered a knee ligament injury whilst training with Germany and will be out for the foreseeable future. This is the second such injury suffered by the 23-year-old defender.
On the plus side Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s side won their friendly against France 2-1 at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion in Dresden thanks to goals from Alexandra Popp.
Matchday 4 sees a return to league action after the international break with Wolfsburg away at Potsdam, Bayern at home to Köln and Eintracht Frankfurt away at SGS Essen.
