The third week of the Frauen-Bundesliga has already seen Frankfurt lose their unbeaten run as they fell to Sand in the early kick-off, as Wolfsburg made it three from three and Freiburg and Potsdam shared the spoils in the match of the weekend. Munich got back to winning ways at Köln’s expense as Werder and TSG picked up their first wins of the year against MSV and Essen respectively.

FFC Frankfurt 1-2 SC Sand

Still looking off of the pace this season, Frankfurt took the lead just before the quarter hour when Kumi Yokoyama volleyed home Carina Schlüter’s parry from Margarita Gidion’s early effort. Having only cracked the woodwork five minutes before Yokoyama’s opener, Laura Feiersinger found herself in space in the box to sweep Nina Burger’s lay-off into the left side of the net.

Catching the woodwork once more at the start of the second-half, the visitors kept the pressure on to win another successive corner, Verena Aschauer’s inswinger awkwardly punched into the ground by Bryane Heaberlin, the bounce taking it over. With firm protests from both sides as to whether the ball had crossed or not before Heaberlin knocked it clear of the line, Susann Kunkel stayed firm and ruled that it had crossed. The goal the last meaningful action of the game. 

SC Freiburg 1-1 Turbine Potsdam

In arguably the biggest game of the weekend, two title hopefuls went head-to-head in the south west, both teams seeing good chances throughout though the fans had to wait until after the hour for the opening goal. Working it out from the back, the ball swiftly moved up the pitch to Tabea Kemme who scooped it over Kim Fellhauer and Laura Benkarth, arcing over and dropping just inside of the crossbar.

Not in the mood to surrender three points, Freiburg pressed forward again and were soon presented an opportunity to restore parity after Johanna Elsig clipped Lena Petermann at the top of the box. Carolin Simon’s direct free-kick perfectly struck to curl around the wall and smack into the back of the net leaving Lisa Schmitz rooted. The draw enough to keep both unbeaten for the season so far. 

VfL Wolfsburg 5-0 USV Jena

Both out for different parts of the year, Zsanett Jakabfi and Alex Popp showed no signs of rust as they shared five goals between them, emphatically claiming another win for Wolfsburg.

The Hungarian international broke the deadlock half-way through the first-half after being played through, taking a touch to find a little space she fired the ball low past Justien Odeurs before the Belgian was caught out eleven minutes later by Popp’s thumping header.

Popp alert six minutes later to meet another cross in mid-air and nod past Odeurs, the Belgian beaten again after the break when Jakabfi swept Babett Peter’s lay-off into the open goal. Popp rounded off her hat trick eight minutes from time, played through the middle the attacker took the ball into the box before rounding the ‘keeper and rolling the ball home. 

SV Werder Bremen 2-1 MSV Duisburg

Looking for their first win of the year, Werder got off to the perfect start at the Weser-Stadion when Katharina Schiechtl nodded Nina Lührßen whipped free kick past Lena Nuding less than ten minutes in. Just as Bremen had relied on an Austrian at a free-kick, Duisburg found themselves doing the same, Virginia Kirchberger on hand to ensure that Pia Rijsdijk’s flicked header crossed the line.

The two remained locked for half an hour until Lührßen grabbed her first ever Bundesliga goal, the seventeen year-old charging into the box after shrugging off Magdalena Richter and firing low into the far corner. The win sees Werder up to seventh, Duisburg and Köln the only two teams yet to have claimed a point this season. 

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Bayern München 2-0 FC Köln

After dropping points to SCF last time out, Munich had little room for error in a season that promises to be one of the tightest. Despite the Bavarian’s best efforts, the visitors had kept them scoreless throughout the first-half, Simone Laudehr’s towering header six minutes into the second-half enough to relieve the pressure. With the Köln defence and Anne-Kathrine Kremer working over-time to keep themselves in it, it was an uncharacteristic lapse that saw Lineth Beerensteyn played through, the Dutch international composed to roll the ball between Kremer’s knees and put the game to bed nine minutes from time. 

SGS Essen 1-2 1899 Hoffenheim

Struggling with a number of injuries and a slow start to the season, Hoffenheim picked up an invaluable three points in Essen, the visitors up less than ten minutes in thanks to an acrobatic volley from Sharon Beck. Isabella Hartig could have doubled the advantage minutes later had it not been for the woodwork before Linda Dallmann was denied by Friederike Abt. A smart floated ball over the top found Sarai Linder in space between the centre backs, the full-back left alone to charge into the box and pick out the far corner leaving Essen with it all to do.

Turid Knaak reduced the deficit from the spot moments into the second-half after Stephanie Breitner had caught Dallmann in the area but it was of little consequence and Hoffenheim held out for their first points of the year. 

FBL table as it stands (Credit: DFB)
FBL table as it stands (Credit: DFB)
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About the author
Sophie Lawson
Neutral football fan travelling around Europe, covering matches and bothering footballers for interviews