There was little in the way of shocks as the 2017-18 Frauen-Bundesliga season go underway this weekend. 

VfL Wolfsburg 6-0 Hoffenheim

Keen to banish memories of a shaky end to the 2016-17 season, champions Wolfsburg were swift to lay down a marker for the new season, trouncing a weakened Hoffenheim side at the AOK.

Ewa Pajor struck the first blow just after the half hour, slipping into the box to complete a one-two with Caroline Graham Hansen before blasting the ball into the net. Hansen made it two just before the break, calling for the ball from Tessa Wullaert, her effortless run behind the static defence capped off with a clipped finish to leave Friederike Abt rooted.

The second-half saw the hosts wrench the floodgates open and catch TSG cold time and again, Pernille Harder the next to draw blood four minutes after the restart with a composed low shot from inside the D.

The fourth goal saw Hansen directly involved once again her flashed ball diverted home off of Hoffenheim captain, Stephanie Breitner. The fifth and penultimate goal came with the frequency of a German train, Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir’s threaded ball found Wullaert making a smart run before the Belgian slipped the ball across the box for Harder to fire home from three yards.

With just seconds left of regulation time there was still enough for the Wolves to add a sixth when substitute Emily van Egmond streaked into the six-yard box and turned Hansen’s low cross over the line before colliding with a thoroughly beaten Abt. 

SGS Essen 0-3 Bayern München

A useful ball sent over the midfield from Fridolina Rolfö found Mandy Islacker running in behind, the former Frankfurt striker bright to flick the ball up and over an over-committed Lisa Weiß and into the empty net. Following on from Islacker, new signing Lucie Voňková grabbed her first goal for the Bavarians on her professional debut with them, slipping past Marina Hegering and firing low into the vacant side of the goal.

Not at their best but still not out of the match, Essen saw their last chance of claiming a point dissipate when Simone Laudehr slammed her penalty home after Dominika Škorvánková had been felled in the area by Hegering.

The firm win enough to take Munich joint-second going into the second round of matches, hoping that they can keep up their high-scoring form, the team guilty of one too many 1-0 wins over the last two seasons. 

FFC Frankfurt 2-0 Köln

Carolin Schraa refused an early chance for the visitors, the attacker unable to sort her feet out in time before Ana-Maria Crnogorčević nodded the hosts ahead twenty-one minutes in. Jackie Groenen added a snap second just minutes later with a low drive from the top of the box leaving promoted Cologne with nowhere to go.

A late chance for Theresa Gosch that skewed just wide was as close as the Billygoats to get, though with chances in the game, Willi Breuer will be left feeling his side can compete this season. 

Werder Bremen 0-3 SC Sand

A lofted pass from Selina Wagner dropped perfectly for Nina Burger to rise over her marker and head inside of the near post, although Lena Pauels could have done better. Able to just get in front of the defence again ten minutes later, the Austrian international poked home up double the advantage.

Showing off the range of her skills, Burger had a big hand in Sand's third and final goal too, combining with Sylvia Arnold to cut through the defence, the former Frieburger capping off the move with a shot blasted past Pauels.

Turbine Potsdam 4-1 USV Jena

Taking time to readjust and settle into the new season, Potsdam were largely kept quiet throughout the first-half, an injury to Justien Odeurs late in the half enough to disrupt the visitors.

Seventeen-year-old Stina Johannes left helpless four minutes after coming on when Bianca Schmidt picked up Svenja Huth’s lay-off and blasted it around the substitute ‘keeper.

The start of the second-half saw two quick-fire goals, first Huth finally got the goal that had alluded her throughout the first-half when she picked up Gina Chmielinski’s looped pass before sweeping it into the right side of the net. Out of nothing, Jena immediately got themselves back within one when Karoline Heinze hit a rocket from outside the box into the top corner on the half-volley at a partially cleared free-kick.

Able to steer themselves to the front foot again, a third goal refused to drop for Potsdam leaving the game hanging in the balance until the last five minutes when another quick-fire double had them wrap-up all three points.

Jana Sedláčková was left tied in knots before Huth prodded the ball between her ankles and through to the near side of the goal where in came to rest just inside of the post. Second-half substitute Anna Gasper rounded off the proceedings, lively in the box to knock the ball home after a free-flowing move of one-touch football that saw the ball carried forward before Huth fed the ball into the area.

Despite starting well enough, Jena began to fall apart and will be left hoping the injury to Odeurs is less serious than it seemed. For Potsdam it’s another confident start to the year, the once great team well capable of cracking the top two this season. 

SC Freiburg 1-0 MSV Duisburg

Lina Magull struck the loan goal half way through the first-half when the pair met at the Möslestadion on Sunday afternoon, the talismanic attacker left to slip behind the goalkeeper and nod home an unclaimed cross. The match a muted affair that Duisburg kept themselves in until the whistle, the only other moment of note, Marina Himmighofen straight red card in stoppage time for a professional foul on Magull.

 

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