Wolfsburg, Frankfurt warm up with wins
Thursday, April 23, 2015
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VfL Wolfsburg and 1. FFC Frankfurt both secured 4-0 wins to set up a last-day Frauen Bundesliga decider but face very different tasks in this weekend's semi-final second legs.
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VfL Wolfsburg and 1. FFC Frankfurt both secured 4-0 wins in midweek to set up a last-day Frauen Bundesliga decider – but the German rivals face very different tasks in this weekend's UEFA Women's Champions League semi-final second legs.
Frankfurt beat TSG 1899 Hoffenheim with two Verónica Boquete goals to stay within two points of Wolfsburg, comfortable victors at SGS Essen thanks in part to an Alexandra Popp double. Unbeaten FC Bayern München will aim to return to second place, a point behind the reigning champions, when they play their game in hand at the weekend.
It then all goes down to 10 May, when Frankfurt host Wolfsburg hoping for revenge after losing out in an identical title decider, though played away, a year ago. The top two qualify for the 2015/16 UEFA Women's Champions League, with a third German entrant if either Frankfurt or Wolfsburg lift the European trophy but finish outside the two top.
That is four days before the European final in Berlin, but while Frankfurt look certain to be there as they go to Brøndby IF 7-0 up on Saturday, the next day Wolfsburg must overturn a 2-0 deficit at Paris Saint-Germain having lost for the first time in Europe last weekend.
Wolfsburg, who were 2-0 down in last year's final against Tyresö FF and came back to win 4-3 for their second straight title, should at least have goalkeeper Almuth Schult back from the calf injury that kept her out of the first leg. Popp said: "Two goals are not too much. If we do what we are capable of and what we bring quality to the pitch, then we can knock out Paris."
Will miss final if booked
Brøndby: Mie Jans, Mille Poulsen, Simone Boye Sørensen – Katrine Veje is suspended for second leg
Frankfurt: Peggy Kuznik
Paris: Kosovare Asllani, Shirley Cruz Traña, Kenza Dali, Marie-Laure Delie, Laura Georges, Jessica Houara, Aurélie Kaci, Annike Krahn, Caroline Seger – Kheira Hamraoui is suspended for second leg
Wolfsburg: Vanessa Bernauer, Lena Goessling, Noelle Maritz, Julia Simic