Bayern Munich in tricky Freiburg test as Wolfsburg clash is cancelled amid Covid-19 cases: Frauen-Bundesliga Week 14 Preview
Teeming with glory from their 4-0 destruction of SC Sand last weekend, second-placed Bayern Munich carry on with their title defence with a trip to seventh-placed SC Freiburg on Saturday.
The Bavarians, on 31 points, will be looking to make it 11 wins in 14 encounters to keep pressure on log leaders Wolfsburg, who sit on the apex of the log just a point above the Munich side.
Freiburg, on the other hand, on 17 points, have the uphill task of having to look for their sixth win of the season against the marauding champions.
Jens Scheuer’s side will be banking on star forward Lea Schuller and defender Maximiliane Rall for goals. Schuller is second top scorer on the current Bundesliga charts with nine goals whilst Rall is joint-third top scorer with eight goals.
The hosts will turn to the services of Hasret Kayikçi, who is the team’s current top scorer with six goals.
Elsewhere, Sunday clash between VFL Wolfsburg and SC Sand has been postponed due to Covid-19 cases among Sand players.
Read a statement on the Wolfsburg website: “VfL Wolfsburg’s FLYERALARM Women’s Bundesliga game against SC Sand, which was originally scheduled to take place on Sunday 13 February, has been postponed.
“The German Football Association (DFB) made the decision on Wednesday in light of several positive coronavirus cases among the Sand squad.
“A date for the rescheduled fixture will be announced as soon as possible after consultation between the DFB and the two clubs.”
Third-placed Hoffenheim host ninth-placed SGS Essen at the Dietmar-Hopp-Stadion on Sunday.
Die Kraichgauer are coming from a one-all draw with FC Köln last Friday, their fourth draw of the season, whilst Essen are also coming from a one-all draw with Bayer Leverkusen, their third draw of the season.
Hoffenhiem have registered 28 points from eight wins and four draws and are just four points away from log leaders Wolfsburg, whilst Essen have registered 12 points from three wins and three draws and are 20 points away from the log leaders.
The hosts will be banking on the services of forward Nicole Billa, who is joint-third top scorer on the current Bundesliga charts with eight goals.
Frankfurt will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Freiburg last weekend when they make a trip to the Sudstadion for a date with FC Köln on Sunday.
The defeat was the fourth of the season for Niko Arnautis’ side whilst Köln are coming from their fourth draw of the season, a one-all result against Hoffenheim last weekend.
The visitors will turn to the services of forward Laura Freigang. The 24-year-old German international reached a milestone, scoring her 50th goal in 77 Bundesliga matches in their 2-1 defeat to Freiburg last weekend. Freigang is also joint-fifth top scorer on the current Bundesliga scoring charts with seven goals.
The away side will also turn to the services of goalkeeper Merle Frohms, who has the highest number clean sheets so far standing at six.
Frankfurt have amassed 25 points from eight wins and one draw in 13 matches whilst Köln have posted 16 points from four wins and four draws in the same number of outings.
The visitors will be without defender Sara Doorsoun who was shown a red card in their 2-1 defeat to Freiburg last weekend.
Turbine Potsdam entertain Bayer Leverkusen in a mid-table clash at the Karl-Liebknecht-Stadion on Friday evening.
Buoyant after a 6-0 drubbing of Carl Zeiss Jena last weekend, the fifth-placed hosts will be looking to make it eight wins in 14 outings.
Sixth-placed Bayer, on the other hand, are coming from a one-all draw with SGS Essen last weekend and will be hunting for their seventh win of the season against Potsdam.
The hosts will turn to the services of forward Selina Cerci. The 21-year-old is the current Bundesliga campaign’s top scorer with 11 goals. Potsdam will also be banking on 21-year-old forward Melissa Kössler, who has the highest number of assists in the current campaign standing at six.
10thplaced Werder Bremen host bottom-placed Carl Zeiss Jena at the Weserstadion Platz 11 on Sunday.
The hosts, one place above the drop zone, will be looking to make it four wins in 14 matches and escape the claws of relegation whilst the visitors, smarting from a 6-0 clobbering at the hands of Potsdam last weekend, will be looking for an elusive first win of the campaign with nine games to go.
FIXTURES (Friday): Potsdam vs. Bayer Leverkusen (18:10hrs)
FIXTURES (Saturday): Freiburg vs. Bayern Munich (13:00hrs)
FIXTURES (Sunday): Hoffenheim vs. SGS Essen (13:00hrs); SC Sand vs Wolfsburg (Postponed); Werder Bremen vs. Carl Zeiss Jena (16:00hrs); FC Köln vs. Frankfurt (16:00hrs)
All times are Central European Time (CET)