Frauen-Bundesliga Week 11 Preview: Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich in tricky tests as third-placed Hoffenheim travels to lowly Sand
Battle for first and second place intensifies with Gabor Gallai’s troops travelling to Sand
Log leaders Wolfsburg will look to extend their Frauen- Bundesliga dominance when they clash with Bayer Leverkusen away at the Ulrich-Haberland Stadion in Cologne on Saturday.
Tommy Stroot’s side, with 25 points from 10 matches, have a confidence boost going into the fixture coming from a comprehensive 3-0 UEFA Women’s Champions League victory over Servette on Wednesday. Before that, they thrashed relegation-bound Carl Zeiss Jena 5-0 in the league.
On the other hand, sixth-placed 15-point Bayer are gasping for confidence coming from a humiliating 7-1 league defeat to reigning champions Bayern Munich last Saturday.
In their quest to extend dominance, Wolfsburg will turn to the services of in-form midfielder Jill Roord, who is joint-third top scorer on the current Bundesliga goal charts, and forward Tabea Waßmuth, who scored in their 3-0 UEFA Women’ Champions League win on Wednesday.
Elsewhere, defending champions Bayern Munich will look to reclaim top spot when they travel to Potsdam on Sunday.
Jens Scheuer’s side have a major morale and confidence boost coming from an empathic 7-1 thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen last Sunday and a 5-1 UEFA Women’s Champions League drubbing of Swedish side BK Häcken on Thursday.
Potsdam, on the other hand, are coming from a three-all draw away at Frankfurt last Friday and face an uphill task of having to redeem their form against the marauding champions.
The hosts will be wary of Bayern Munich forward Lea Schüller, who tops the current Bundesliga scoring charts with nine goals in 10 matches. Schüller, who was an unused substitute in Bayern’s 5-1 win over Häcken on Thursday, scored a brace in their 7-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday.
Bayern Munich are second on the league standings with 24 points from eight wins whereas Potsdam sit fifth with 20 points from six wins and two draws.
Third-placed Hoffenheim travel to 12th placed SC Sand on Sunday.
The visitors will be oozing with the confidence of drubbing Werder Bremen 7-1 in their last league match and edging Danish side HB Køge 2-1 in the UEFA Women’s Champions League on Thursday.
Hoffenheim, who have amassed 23 points from 10 outings and are just two points shy of log leaders Wolfsburg, will turn to the services of striker Nicole Billa, who is joint-second top scorer on the current Bundesliga goal charts with seven goals in 10 matches. Billa also scored both goals in their 2-1 win over HB Køge on Thursday.
Gabor Galai’s side head into the fixture relishing the prospects of going on top of the table should both Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich lose.
Fourth-placed Frankfurt clash with 10th placed Werder Bremen away at the Weserstadion Platz 11 on Sunday.
Coming from a three-all draw with Potsdam, Frankfurt will be looking to turn on the power when they clash with Werder Bremen, who will be gasping for confidence coming from a 7-1 demolition by Hoffenheim last Sunday.
The visitors will turn to the services of super forwards Laura Freigang and Lara Prašnikar, who are joint-third top scorers on the current Bundesliga goal charts with six goals apiece.
22-point Frankfurt have the momentum of seven wins, one draw and two defeats whereas eight-point Werder Bremen have registered two wins, two draws and six defeats.
Seventh-placed Freiburg host eighth-placed FC Köln at the Möslestadion on Friday evening.
The hosts, who have had a 50-50 season so far, will be looking to turn on the power when they meet a largely underwhelming Köln, with the chance of going sixth on the log with a win at home.
Freiburg, who have recorded three wins on the bounce, will seek to draw confidence from their latest run of form while Köln will seek to draw morale from their 1-0 win over FC Sand in their last league match.
Carl Zeiss Jena host SGS Essen at Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld on Sunday.
The 11thplaced hosts, who have two points from two draws in 10 matches, will be looking to register their first three points of the season at home.
On the other hand, the ninth-placed visitors have eight points from two wins and two draws in 10 matches.
Fixtures (Friday): Freiburg vs FC Köln (19:15)
Fixtures (Saturday): Bayer Leverkusen vs Wolfsburg (13:00)
Fixtures (Sunday): SC Sand vs Hoffenheim (13:00); Potsdam vs Bayern Munich 16:00); Carl Zeiss Jena vs SGS Essen (16:00); Werder Bremen vs Frankfurt (18:00)
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