A recap of the second to last matchday in the 2011/12 Bundesliga. The big story is the fight to stave off relegation for the bottom teams, while Turbine Potsdam edged closer to its fourth straight title. Here is a full roundup and also scenarios for the final matchday.
By Olaf Goldbecker
VfL Wolfsburg v 1.FFC Frankfurt 1:0 (0:0)
Frankfurt would have required a win to keep the last chance of the Champions League alive, while Wolfsburg was hoping that Potsdam would trip to take over the top spot in the league. One goal was scored and this by a penalty kick (like in the CL final it was Melanie Behringer who fouled), scored by Lena Goessling after 56 minutes in front of a record crowd of 8,689. For Frankfurt it was the third straight important loss within eight days.
FCR 2001 Duisburg v Turbine Potsdam 0:2 (0:0)
Top game number two was played in Duisburg where the hosts needed a win for a tiny chance on the championship and a realistic shot at a Champions League spot. Potsdam of course wanted the win to maintain the top position in the league. The game was without tons of scoring chances; Potsdam was the better team but did not have the best opportunities to convert. Game winner was Patricia Hanebeck, who spent her youth career and the first Bundesliga years with Duisburg. She scored right after halftime and with four minutes left on the clock to calm down the nerves of her team when Duisburg was pushing for the equalizer.
Lokomotive Leipzig v Bayern München 2:2 (1:1)
Short night for Bayern’s women. After watching the Champions League final of their men’s team they started to Leipzig this morning. Sarah Hagen was awake on time, scored the lead for her team after half an hour. Yet keeper Kathrin Längert was sent off for a foul as last player right before halftime. Anne Heller converted the following penalty kick. Same picture in the second half, again Hagen marked the lead for her team, and again Heller tied the match.
Hamburger SV v SC 07 Bad Neuenahr 0:4 (0:1)
Workout for the visitors in Hamburg. Sarah Gregorius before the break, Sara Doorsoun-Khajeh, Celia Okoyino da Mbabi, and Nicole Rolser after the halftime whistle cared for the clear win.
Bayer Leverkusen v FF USV Jena 3:2 (0:1)
A must win game for Bayer; one point would not have been enough to avoid relegation against the direct opponent. Vivien Beil scored the lead for Jena right before halftime, so Bayer was under lots of pressure in period two. Eunice Beckmann tied in minute 52, and with 10 minutes left on the clock, Lisa Schwab cared for the lead for the home team. Yet the shock followed in the 86th minute when Kathleen Radtke tied the match again. The heartbreaker found and end in the last minute when Bayer received a penalty kick and Katie Bethke kept the nerves to convert for the win.
SC Freiburg v SG Essen-Schönebeck 0:3 (0:1)
The game was rather meaningless for the league. Charline Hartmann scored all three goals of the game, which was closer than the score indicates. The second goal was scored in minute 89, the last in stoppage time.
Situation: Next week Monday will be the final matchday. Potsdam – the team with the best defense of the league – just needs a win to clinch its fourth straight title. Wolfsburg – the team with the best offense – is just one point behind and would win the tiebreaker in case of getting this one point more. Duisburg sits on the third spot, Frankfurt is fourth – they will meet in a direct comparison to determine who finishes on which spot. Essen will for sure finish fifth. They are followed by four teams without sorrows and who just fight for positions: Bad Neuenahr and Munich (25 each), Freiburg (23) and Hamburg (22). The relegation battle is as interesting as the top. Jena is still safe with 15 pts, but Leverkusen (14) and Leipzig (13) still have chances to stay in.
The key matches next Monday: Potsdam hosts Leipzig – easy on paper but Leipzig will fight for their chance in the relegation battle, needs a win and fitting results of the opponents to reach the safety. Wolfsburg is waiting for Potsdam to trip and travels to Essen for the last match. Jena hosts Freiburg, while Leverkusen travels to Bad Neuenahr
Scenarios:
Potsdam is champion with a win, or with any other result if Wolfsburg doesn’t score more points than Potsdam does
Wolfsburg is champion when they collect one point more than Potsdam does
Jena stays in the league with a win, with a draw if Leverkusen doesn’t win, with a loss if Leverkusen and Leipzig don’t win
Leverkusen stays in the league with a win if Jena doesn’t win; with a draw if Jena loses and Leipzig doesn’t win
Leipzig stays in the league with a win if Jena loses and at the same time Leverkusen doesn’t win