Duisburg maintain title challenge

Underdog on the up
While Potsdam have won the unofficial winter championship and Frankfurt lie one point behind with a game in hand, the rivals are split by FCR 2001 Duisburg. Dietmar Herhaus's side may have played a match more than Potsdam, but they lead Frankfurt on goal difference and are also yet to lose in the league. Having conceded only six goals in ten games, they go into the spring as realistic contenders for the title.

Coach's pride
In October they drew 0-0 at home to Potsdam and this month drew 2-2 at Frankfurt, who boast the likes of three-times FIFA Women's World Player of the Year Birgit Prinz, Steffi Jones, Kerstin Garefrekes and Renate Lingor. "I am very proud of my players," said Herhaus after the Frankfurt game. Duisburg have star performers at both ends of the pitch, with Germany goalkeeper Silke Rottenberg and the leading scorer at UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2005™, Inka Grings, the undisputed leaders of the team.

Grings goals
Grings, top of the Bundesliga rankings with 19 goals this season, recently told Kicker magazine: "If we manage to develop a little more, we will be able to go for the top." Frankfurt's general manager Siegfried Dietrich believes they are already there, telling uefa.com: "In talking about women's football in Germany, you cannot just mention Turbine and us anymore. You must be aware of FCR, too."

Stronger competition
In an interview with uefa.com last spring, former German international Doris Fitchen stated: "Our only problem is that the competition in the Bundesliga is not strong enough. We only have two top clubs and the gap between them and all the others is huge." Things have changed. Potsdam and Frankfurt are still the teams to beat in Europe and at home, but their respective coaches Bernd Schröder and Hans-Jürgen Tritschoks know their players cannot afford to relax in either competition.

Challenge
Not only are Duisburg up there in the Bundesliga, but the UEFA Women's Cup semi-final scares suffered by Potsdam against Djurgarden/Älvsjö and Frankfurt versus Montpellier HSC showed that competition is now spread continent-wide. Recognising this, says Dietrich, "is the most important step for all of us".

Huge recognition
With a German team now certain to win the UEFA Women's Cup, the Bundesliga is guaranteed two representatives again next year, with the league runners-up to enter should either Potsdam or Frankfurt complete the double. After 12 months of German dominance in every respect of the women's game, its recognition in the host country of the men's 2006 FIFA World Cup is already bigger than ever.

Extra boost
And by injecting extra competition into the Bundesliga, Duisburg may be the factor in giving the game a further boost in its European hotbed.