by Olaf Goldbecker
Four makeup games were scheduled in the Bundesliga to even the standings after twenty matches – a league rule says that the last two matches for each club have to be played at the same time, so Labor Day was the last chance for clubs to get the number of games even.
VfL Wolfsburg had to play at Bayer Leverkusen and made the matter closer than necessary. Leverkusen led at halftime on a goal by Turid Knaak. Would the Wolves lose the second straight game and endanger the championship? No way! Anna Blässe and Martina Müller turned the game around with a double strike after an hour, before Nadine Kessler and Lina Magull made sure that a comfortable 4-1 win entered the books. The score means a 99% chance on the title for Wolfsburg given a six points and 27 goals lead over Frankfurt.
Frankfurt rather has to focus on rank 3 and Turbine Potsdam. Turbine expectedly had an easy task v VfL Sindelfingen and won 6-0. Ada Hegerberg and Natasa Andonova each scored twice in the win. Potsdam is trailing one point behind Frankfurt while having the much better goal difference in case of tying on points. The score killed Sindelfingen’s last theoretical chance on staying in the league.
Bayern Munich is still having theoretical chances on entering the Champions League (rank 2). The Bavarians played an intense game at USV Jena and battled to a 4-3 win. Amber Hearn scored the lead for Jena but Carina Wenninger and Lena Lotzen turned it around before halftime. Jena did not give in to the loss easily and Hearn tied again. American goals by Amber Brooks and Sarah Hagen gave Munich a comfortable 4-2 lead before Iva Landeka got USV closer with two minutes left on the clock. Munich trails five points behind Frankfurt, so a lot would have to happen to make Bayern jump two spots.
Last game in the books today was Bad Neuenahr’s 2-1 road win at SGS Essen. Celia Okoyino da Mbabi scored both goals for Bad Neuenahr. Essen answered by Linda Dallmann with twenty minutes left to go – too late to rescue a point.
On Sunday Wolfsburg will clinch the championship if they don’t lose at Potsdam, or with a loss if Frankfurt doesn’t win at Bad Neuenahr. Frankfurt can clinch the Champions League spot if they win and Potsdam loses.