An early goal from Laura Lindner set the tone as 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam dominated proceedings against 1. FFC Frankfurt, Tabea Kemme and Svenja Huth were both on the scoresheet in the second-half to put the gloss on a fine game.
Breathless beginnings
The game started at a healthy pace, Potsdam keen to make their home advantage known as they pushed up against the Frankfurt defence. A sloppy pass from Saskia Bartusiak proved costly as Eseosa Aigbogun beat her to the punch, carrying the ball wide into the box. A one-two with Huth saw Aigbogun float in a delightful cross, which Kemme met in the air to flick it back for Laura Lindner who volleyed low past Anne-Kathrine Kremer at her near post.
Frankfurt responded well to press in midfield and ask questions of the home defence but Potsdam stood firm and were once more launching an attack, bodies steaming forward, untroubled through midfield. Aigbogun playing off the shoulder of the last defender, a persistent threat for the home side.
As Frankfurt laboured to find a rhythm on the pitch, infrequent attacks mostly unfocused, Potsdam looked smooth and silky in possession, a greater understanding between the hosts than the visitors. One team far more comfortable with the ball.
Once again, switching off at the back gifted the hosts a glorious opportunity; Kemme bounding after the loose ball, her angled shot pushed clear by Kremer. The goalkeeper coming up trumps once more minutes later, somehow just getting a hand on Johanna Elsig’s goal-bound header.
Constant threat
Potsdam started the second-half as they had the first. Huth pounced on a loose ball to round Kremer, forced out wide her hopeful shot was cleared by retreating defenders, the visitors stubbornly refusing to learn from their mistakes. Attack after attack, Turbine looked dangerous and composed moving forward, the Frankfurt defence scattered and sleepy. Huth routinely finding space just outside of the box, white shirts dispersed as they looked to find party.
For all their possession and chances, the hosts continued to carry their one goal advantage as their opposition worked themselves further forward, blue shirts back to cover Lisa Schmitz and dispel the increasingly dangerous looking attacks.
With a little over ten minutes left, the hosts could finally breathe easy as Kemme made a late run into the box to meet Huth’s free kick at the back post, thumping the ball into the waiting net.
From provider to scorer, Huth added an immediate third to seal the victory with style. The hard-working attacker glided through the attacking third before tying the backline in knots as they tried to work the ball off of her. The striker steadfast luried Kremer out before digging the ball over her and leaving it to punch into the back of the net. The scoreline finally reflected the tone of the game.
It easily could have been more, especially when substitues combined. Anna Gasper fed Stefanie Draws, the latter’s arcing run leaving the sub-par Frankfurt defence for dust. One-on-one with Kremer, Draws’ shot bobbled off of the turf and skimmed just wide of the bar.
But still the hosts came at their opposition, the clock all but run out as Sarah Zadrazil’s header was cleared for a corner after she connected with Aigbogun’s dinked cross. The Swiss international immediately back in the fray, forcing a smart hanging save from Kremer at her near post.
Shake up?
VfL Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich claiming the top two spots is far from a foregone conclusion and, with barely any of the season played, predictions are best saved for later.
However, Turbine dictated play throughout, a team working all together in attack and defence with some strong individual performances. They made an established Frankfurt team look like amateurs. After a fall from grace last season, Potsdam look to have found their mojo and deserved all three points, Huth, Kemme and Aigbogun stealing the show.
Frankfurt really struggled to get going, a goal down less than four minutes in, and they struggled to spark to life. The back line consistently looked spread and lost, a lack of communication causing break down, only keeping the hosts out by dropping the midfield and attack back.
Having lost Dzsenifer Marozsán before the season started, the visitors looked flat and lacking inspiration. Yūki Ōgimi dropped into the back line just to get a touch of the ball as Ana Crnogorčević remained anonymous throughout. With Wolfsburg and Bayern favourites, Frankfurt could struggle to catch-up to the league leaders.