Lineup
Compared to the away game at SSV Rhade, head coach Markus Högner started Jenske Steenwijk, Noreen Günnewig, and Ronja Leubner against Mecklenbeck. As a result, Jaqueline Meißner, Ramona Maier, and Rita Schumacher – who had been slightly injured during the week – started on the bench.
Match Summary
DJK Wacker Mecklenbeck dropped deep into their own half at the opening whistle, making it difficult for the Black and Yellows to establish their rhythm early on. In the 12th minute, BVB had a double chance: Following a cross from Ann-Sophie Vogel, Alex Popp narrowly missed the ball inside the five-meter box. Frederike Kempe headed the resulting corner straight into the arms of Mecklenbeck’s goalkeeper, Lena Kloock.
While the visitors from Münster continued to focus on defense, BVB worked to take the lead. A free kick taken by Alex Popp from about 27 meters hit the wall (26th minute). Shortly afterward, Ronja Leubner’s shot following a corner kick by Ricarda Walkling was saved by Kloock. The long-overdue 1–0 lead finally came after Leubner won the ball on the edge of the opponent’s penalty area: Her pass found the unmarked Alex Popp, who slotted the ball into the far corner with her left foot (33′).
By now, at the very latest, the captain’s hunger for goals had been whetted. Before the halftime whistle, Popp struck again: In the 41st minute, the forward used a drop kick to send a cross from Enderle under the crossbar, giving her team a 2–0 lead.
The second half began with no lineup changes and a warning shot from Frederike Kempe (48′). Wacker Mecklenbeck now showed more commitment and created several chances in front of BVB goalkeeper Laura van der Laan’s net in the first quarter-hour. Ironically, a mistake in the visitors’ build-up play then led to Dortmund’s third goal: Ricarda Walkling reacted quickly, found Alex Popp—and the No. 11 completed her hat trick to make it 3–0 (63rd minute).
After that, a 4-0 lead seemed possible, which would have put BVB in first place in the standings. However, a fourth goal was not to be that afternoon. Ricarda Walkling (75th minute) as well as substitutes Rita Schumacher (85th minute) and Ramona Maier (87th minute) failed to capitalize on good scoring opportunities. Shortly before the final whistle, there was another dangerous moment at the other end: former Borussia player Jasmin Jabbes, on her return to Rote Erde Stadium, was narrowly denied by Laura van der Laan.
Reactions
Head coach Markus Högner: “Credit to our opponents from Mecklenbeck, who really played well and got the maximum out of the game. Today, we were a little too careless in our actions, and at times I felt we lacked clarity. Alex Popp was the match-winner and made the difference by scoring the goals at the right moments. All in all, I see the entire team moving in a good direction.”
Alex Popp: “Of course, I’m happy about scoring three goals, but overall we made things a little difficult for ourselves today. In situations where we could have moved the ball quickly, we lacked good touches and passes. In the end, the result is what counts. Looking ahead to Wednesday, we now need to recover quickly because Recklinghausen are currently having a good season.”
Outlook
The BVB Women now face a midweek fixture: Next Wednesday, Markus Högner’s team will host 1. FFC Recklinghausen for a rescheduled Westphalia Cup match (September 9, 7:00 p.m.). Tickets for the first-round match at Rote Erde Stadium are available online. Four days later, the action continues in the Regionalliga West at MSV Duisburg (September 13, 3:30 p.m., MSV Youth Training Center, Westender Straße 36, Duisburg).
Robert Targan
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