Wolfsburg contined their perfect start to the season away to Bremen as Frankfurt picked up their first win of the season at home to Sand, and Essen squeezed past Potsdam. Elsewhere Leverkusen fought back to pick up a point against ‘Gladbach and Duisburg overcame Freiburg after Bayern bested Hoffenheim.

Bayern München 2-1 TSG Hoffenheim

With only goal difference separating the two teams coming into the match, it was the hosts who struck first. Ten minutes before the break it was Verena Schweers’ floated cross that caused all the problems for TSG, Sara Däbritz’s leaning header enough to see the ball kiss off of the near post before dropping and rolling down the line. Needing just a touch to take it over the paint, Mandy Islacker raced in to hammer the ball home.

Countering at pace, Dominika Škorvánková’s through ball was enough to see the midfield bypassed as Däbritz charged it down, slipping between the centre-backs before sliding the ball under Friederike Abt. Fast running out of time, Hoffenheim dug deep and pulled a goal back seven minutes later, Nicole Billa’s tenacity to run down a sloppy back-pass enough to open the chance up. Striding into the box with Manuela Zinsberger ahead of her, the Austrian attacker went for the selfless shot and side-footed the ball across the box for Maximiliane Rall to launch into the unguarded net. 

FFC Frankfurt 1-0 SC Sand

As always seems to be the way, it was a player in the first meeting against her former club who found the back of the net. Not known for being overly prolific, Laura Feiersinger came back to haunt Sand, putting an end to Frankfurt’s seven-game losing streak. Fresh off international duty, Géraldine Reuteler tried her arm from inside the box at the start of the second half. The Swiss attacker’s shot cannoning off of the far post for both Laura Freigang and Feiersinger going for the rebound with the Austrian the one to slam the ball into the open net.  The goal enough to decide the tie and give Frankfurt their first win since April. 

Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-4 Bayer 04 Leverkusen

In what will probably not be the last eight-goal game ‘Gladbach and Leverkusen play this season, the visitors did well to work their way back and take a point away from home. A goal to the good nine minutes in thanks to Vanessa Wahlen’s cross-cum-shot, the hosts doubled their advantage through Alina Busshuven’s header on the half hour.

Two became three after the break when Valentina Oppedisano raced onto a long ball, slipping around Karoline Heinze, the attacker saw her effort shot into the air as it cannoned off Anna Klink’s boot. Keeping her eyes on the airborne ball, Oppedisano again wriggled free of Heinze to nod the ball into the empty net as it dropped out of the sky.

The three-goal advantaged lasted just seconds as Elisabeth Mayr pulled a goal back for the visitors with a low strike from just outside the box. Again, Borussia opened the gap, adding their fourth of the day eight minutes later when Kerstin Bogenschütz’s audacious 40-yard chip dropped just inside of the post.

For the second time in the match, it was Mayr who brought Leverkusen back into the match, sliding into the box to poke the ball home three minutes later. A penalty four minutes from time saw Merle Barth reduce the deficit to one before Lena Uebach salvaged an unlikely point in stoppage time. 

Werder Bremen 0-3 VfL Wolfsburg

Possibly with half an eye on their Champions League match against Atletico Madrid in the week, Wolfsburg seemed almost goal-shy in Bremen. Despite this, the champions took the lead ten minutes in and never looked like dropping a point from home after Zsanett Jakabfi cross-cum-shot slid over Lena Pauels at the near post. Having moved to Wolfsburg at the start of 2018, Kristine Minde finally opened her account for the Wolves with a relaxed finish from 12-yards, the Norwegian left unmarked in the crowded box. Forced to wait for her first goal, Minde wasted no time in bagging her second, putting the gloss on the win late in the second half with a close-range goal. 

SGS Essen 3-2 Turbine Potsdam

Two teams expected to be in the mix this season, SGS and Potsdam didn’t disappoint when they clashed at the Stadion Essen. Lea Schüller’s low strike 11 minutes in enough to open the scoring before Svenja Huth restored parity on the half hour with her own low effort.

Deputising for the injured Lisa Schmitz, Vanessa Fischer didn’t cover herself in glory for the first goal and would have been left frustrated after being bested by Schüller for the second time, just after the break. Again, the visitors fought back and brought themselves back into terms through Felicitas Rauch’s well-taken free kick.

Found by a long-ball over the top, it was Linda Dallmann’s turn to fire the hosts ahead, cutting through the defence as if it wasn’t there, the Essener found the bottom corner with ease to scoop all three points. 

SC Freiburg 0-2 MSV Duisburg 

Gifted an opening five minutes in when Desiree van Lunteren fed a weak back-pass to Merle Frohms, Lisa-Marie Makas nipped in to slot the ball past the helpless Frohms. With a team that’s taken a hit to its attack over the summer, the hosts continued to create but failed to take any of their better chances. The match put out of reach ten minutes after the break when Dörthe Hoppius poked home Makas’ square ball after determined work from Barbara Dunst.

So very close with their attacks but a million miles away with their defending, the sport club were their own worst enemies, the Zebras keen to exploit the basic mistakes. 

FBL table as it stands (Credit: DFB)
FBL table as it stands (Credit: DFB)
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