Three goals, three points: BVB Women beat Fortuna Cologne

Three goals, three points: BVB Women beat Fortuna Cologne

Personnel matters

In Cologne’s Südstadt district, the BVB women started the match in their familiar 4-3-3 formation. There were two changes from the 3-1 win against SSV Rhade, with Ronja Leubner and Jasmin Jabbes coming into the starting line-up in place of Nora Willeke and Paula Reimann. Frederike Kempe, who had scored the goal to make it 2-1 the previous week, led the BVB women onto the pitch wearing the captain’s armband.

The matchFrom the kick-off, the BVB women dominated the game against a deep-lying Cologne side. With Jenske Steenwijk and Ann-Sophie Vogel pushing high up the flanks, the Borussia women carried the ball deep into the opposition’s half. Free kicks and corners, all taken by Rita Schumacher, produced the first shots on goal for the Black & Yellows, who were becoming increasingly dangerous. A long-range shot from the set-piece specialist was saved by the Cologne goalkeeper in the 15th minute as she tipped it onto the post and behind for a corner.

A quarter of an hour later, Rita Schumacher curled the ball beautifully into the net to give the BVB women a 1-0 lead (30). This was preceded by her winning a high ball and then playing a one-two with Ronja Leubner. The hosts managed a few counter-attacks in the first half, which an alert BVB defence was able to nip in the bud early on. The BVB women were denied a 2-0 half-time lead after Annika Enderle was caught offside in the 43rd minute.

The second 45 minutes began with a flurry of corners from the BVB women. Although all four set-pieces in the first five minutes flew dangerously into the six-yard box, none found a Black & Yellow player to finish them off. A headed goal was only a matter of time and Ronja Leubner duly converted the tenth corner of the match with a header into the right-hand corner to give her side a deserved 2-0 lead (54).