VfL Women picked up a vital win in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga on Sunday evening, beating SGS Essen 5-1. After three successive defeats in all competitions, the convincing victory provides the Green-and-Whites with a confidence boost as well as aiding their goal difference, which VfL may need to improve in order to move above Eintracht Frankfurt in second place.
The crowd of 2,845 at the AOK Stadion witnessed a meeting in which the Green-and-Whites were far superior, aside from a brief spell in the first half. Lineth Beerensteyn was the star, netting four goals after the impressive Marina Hegering had opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Essen’s solitary goal was scored by Lilli Purtscheller (26’). VfL now sign off for the international break with a win, before the next Women’s Bundesliga fixture at SC Freiburg on Sunday 13 April (14:00 CEST).
Goals
1-0 Hegering (10’): Hegering takes a shot from 25 metres, which goalkeeper Kim Lea Sindermann lets slip through her grasp and over the line.
1-1 Purtscheller (26’): Essen equalise with their first meaningful attack. The Wolfsburg defence allow Purtscheller to shoot from the edge of the penalty area virtually unopposed – and the mistake is punished as the Essen winger smashes the ball into the top left corner.
2-1 Beerensteyn (41’): Beerensteyn heads home from Svenja Huth’s corner to put the She-Wolves back in front.
3-1 Beerensteyn (56’): After Jule Brand’s attempt is blocked by the Essen defence, Beerensteyn seizes the loose ball, runs clear and squeezes the ball in from close range.
4-1 Beerensteyn (66’): Shortly after missing a penalty, Beerensteyn makes amends and gets her hat-trick, meeting Hegering’s perfect cross with a thumping header to make it 4-1.
5-1 Beerensteyn (84’): A fourth goal for the Dutchwoman! Essen’s Jette ter Horst inadvertently flicks on a cross from Huth and the ball drops for Beerensteyn, who again finds the net with her head from close range.
Tommy Stroot: “We were well in the game from the start and troubled Essen in a lot of moments. We did that well. We were dominant and deservedly won a good match.”
Line-ups and stats
VfL Wolfsburg: Borbe – Wedemeyer, Hegering, Dijkstra, Linder (46‘ Nemeth) – Peddemors (80‘ Hagel), Lattwein (46‘ Kielland) – Endemann (46‘ Popp), Huth, Brand (71‘ Jonsdottir) – Beerensteyn
Subs: Schmitz (Tor), Wilms, Minge, Sellner
SGS Essen: Sindermann – Sterner (74‘ Ostermeier), Meißner, Fürst, Flach – Kowalski (74‘ ter Horst), Platner (74‘ Terlinden), Rieke – Purtscheller (80‘ Berentzen), Maier, Potsi (63‘ Elmazi)
Subs: Allmann (Tor), Sesjak (Tor), Pucks, Pfluger
Goals: 1-0 Hegering (10‘), 1-1 Purtscheller (26‘), 2-1 Beerensteyn (41‘), 3-1 Beerensteyn (56‘), 4-1 Beerensteyn (66‘), 5-1 Beerensteyn (84‘)
Yellow cards: - / -
Referee: Anna-Lena Heidenreich (Bad Schwartau)
Attendance: 2,845 at AOK Stadion
