The Fight for Europe Continues!
The nineteenth gameweek of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga was a weekend that proved crucial for Eintracht Frankfurt’s European hopes. Taking place as usual at the Stadion am Brentanobad in Rödelheim, die Adler was expected to take three points from this encounter against relegation-battlers 1. FC Nürnberg. Well, it nearly turned to absolute catastrophe just thirty seconds into the match.
Picture 1: Pre-game talk
During the one-minute silence in remembrance of club legend Bernd Hölzenbein, the weather started to take a turn for the worst as the heavens opened, and after a quick kick-off, Frankfurt conceded an early corner, which would be then turned in by midfielder Selma Magnusdottir. Being 1-0 down after thirty seconds was not the start the Eintracht was hoping for, and after a counter-attack towards the other side, it was Nürnberg who conceded a corner. Taken as per usual by Austrian international Barbara Dunst, the cross was parried by goalkeeper Lea Paulick, and under the torrential downpour, veteran defender Sara Doorsoun volleyed the ball towards the top right corner. Frankfurt tied the game 1-1, and with the sky clearing up over the next ten to fifteen minutes, the home side started to dominate proceedings by having most of the possession.
Picture 2: Aerial duel between Virginia Kirchberger (red kit) and Madeleine Fleck (white kit)
The next main course of action was in the 31st minute as forward Nicole Anyomi brought Frankfurt in front after her initial shot was saved by Paulick. Anyomi, with eight goals over the course of the season, is the club’s leading goalscorer in the Frauen-Bundesliga. After the goal, Eintracht Frankfurt became more dangerous in front of goal, and after many beautiful sequences of play, Anyomi bundled in a second goal in front of the 3000-strong Brentanobad crowd and put her Bundesliga tally up to nine, which tied her in the overall rankings with FC Bayern and fellow German national team forward Lea Schüller.
Picture 3: Celebrations after Lara Prasnikar’s goal
The fifteen-minute half-time break saw two changes made by the away side and the state of play continued as it was in the first half. Eintracht came close to making it 4-1 after attempts from Anyomi and midfielder Geraldine Reuteler in the 58th and 59th minute, respectively. They would finally get their fourth, however, after the aforementioned Reuteler set up Slovenian striker Lara Prasnikar who smashed the ball into the top corner. This was only Prasnikar’s fourth goal of the Bundesliga season, which is currently the worst tally she has as an Eintracht Frankfurt player, having scored fourteen and eleven in the last two seasons, respectively. The game would continue on one-way traffic, with the likes of Remina Chiba, who made her starting eleven debut this weekend, replacing injured vice-captain Laura Freigang, and newly-substituted Shekiera Martinez, making their marks in the game by attempting chances against the Nürnberg net. However, the away side was not without its own chances. Nele Baureisen was through on goal before goalkeeper Stina Johannes made a crucial one-on-one save to prevent her team from conceding a second. When the referee blew the final whistle, it was a convincing victory for the home side and the crowd cheered even louder after finding out that fellow European hopefuls TSG Hoffenheim lost to SGS Essen.
Picture 4: Eintracht Frankfurt players celebrating with fans
But, there was one more twist to the tale of this beautiful Saturday game. Not one minute after the match ended, the heavens opened again, but this time it was hailing. Under the frost and frigid snow, player of the match Nicole Anyomi had her interview as the rest of the Frankfurt squad celebrated with the fans, even through this incredibly unconventional April weather. Sadly, this weather meant that there were no good post-match photos, but I still managed to get a selfie with Anyomi. All in all, a good experience even though it did not quite reach the ultimate heights of the match against FC Bayern last March.
Picture 5: Nicole Anyomi (left) taking a selfie with a fan
Line-ups:
Eintracht Frankfurt: Stina Johannes, Pia-Sophie Wolter, Sophia Kleinherne, Sara Doorsoun ©, Verena Hanshaw, Geraldine Reuteler, Barbara Dunst, Lisanne Gräwe, Remina Chiba, Nicole Anyomi, Lara Prasnikar. Substitutes: Ilayda Acikgöz, Anna Aehling, Virginia Kirchberger, Shekiera Martinez, Nadine Riesen. Not used: Cara Bösl, Laura Freigang, Dilara Acikgöz, Sophie Nachtigall
1. FC Nürnberg: Lea Paulick, Amelie Thole, Madeleine Steck, Lara Sophie Schmidt, Jessica May, Franziska Mai, Luisa Guttenberger, Alina Mailbeck, Selma Magnusdottir, Medina Desic, Vanessa Haim. Substitutes: Nele Baureisen, Lara Felix, Weronika Kaczor, Nastassja Lein, Marina Scholz. Not used: Livia Brunmair, Sina Tölzel
