In the sold-out Cologne stadium and in front of a record crowd, SC Freiburg demanded everything from VfL Wolfsburg in the DFB Cup final. In the end, however, Alexandra Popp raises the trophy.
After 95 exhausting minutes, Alexandra Popp fell to her knees, exhausted, and a few minutes later the Wolfsburg captain, together with Svenja Huth, lifted the eleven-kilo DFB Cup with verve.
“I have a very strong bond with this cup,” Popp said after her twelfth triumph in the DFB Cup in a badly battered voice: “It’s my baby – but I can’t take it with me.”
But it wasn’t just the national team’s top scorer who had reason to celebrate. All VfL soccer players celebrated the 4:1 (1:1) in the final against SC Freiburg and the club’s tenth cup win overall. “Record winners” was written on their T-shirts, Wolfsburg trumped 1. FFC Frankfurt. But the biggest winner was women’s football itself: the record crowd of 44,808 spectators in Cologne and the atmosphere were impressive. “Wow! I’m very happy,” said Popp: “It’s only now that you can see what we’ve done with the EM. It was an amazing atmosphere here in the stadium. That’s what football is about, that so many fans supported us, support Freiburg and support women’s football.”
The Wolfsburg women danced on the lawn to the sounds of “Sweet Caroline”, the hit of the EM 2022 in England. The favorite was crowned the sole record winner with their tenth success. After the practically lost championship, VfL won their first title this season. In the final of the Champions League on June 3 in Eindhoven against FC Barcelona, they can go one better – but that will be difficult in this form.
SCF despite defeat: “Don’t forget so soon”
Four days after the surprising 4-0 draw in the Bundesliga at Eintracht Frankfurt, coach Tommy Stroot’s VfL women left no doubt that they wanted to win their ninth cup in a row. After a cross from Lynn Wilms, Lisa Karl maneuvered the ball into her own goal to make it 0:1 (4th minute), even though Popp was initially given as the scorer. After the unfortunate start for Freiburg, young national player Janina Minge deservedly equalized in the sold-out Rhein-Energie Stadium (42nd). Rebecka Blomqvist (57′), Popp (84′) and Dominique Janssen with a hand penalty (89′) scored against Freiburg’s strong goalkeeper Gabrielle Lambert in the second half.
“Of course we’re incredibly disappointed. We had the chance to win our first title. We didn’t succeed, but we just have to enjoy it here, the great atmosphere,” said Minge from Freiburg: “We’ll do that don’t forget soon.”
The fourth Wolfsburg goal was preceded by the first VAR appearance in a women’s cup final. After a tip from the video assistant and looking at the video images, main referee Fabienne Michel decided on handball and penalty kicks. The VAR gave her an “incredible sense of security,” Michel said afterwards. She also raved about the mood: “My heart was pounding and we all had goosebumps.”
Cologne record scenery
The previous record attendance of 26,282 fans at the 2010 premiere in Cologne between FCR Duisburg and USC Jena was increased significantly. Unusual for a women’s game that the stadium announcer had to warn the loud Freiburg fans not to burn any pyrotechnics before kick-off. “Fantastic! We’re all happy, we’re all enjoying it, it’s a great atmosphere. The Freiburg block in particular is really alarming,” said national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg at half-time in the Sky interview and praised the Freiburg women: “In the beginning they were very nervous, now they’re in the game. Now it’s open.”
Freiburg self-confidence remains unrewarded
Even without the injured DFB players Lena Lattwein and Marina Hegering and with goal scorer Ewa Pajor initially only on the bench, VfL initially dominated the encounter. The SC players, who only lost 1-0 to Wolfsburg in the 2019 final, were chasing a lot from the start. Coach Theresa Merk’s team had to give up more and more scoring chances to their experienced opponents, but came back shortly before the break: first national goalkeeper Merle Frohms saved against Lisa Karl, then Minge headed in to equalize.
Freiburg went into the second half with a lot of self-confidence, but showed themselves to be unsorted when they conceded the next goal against a VfL that was only partially convincing, but who shifted up a gear in the final phase.
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
