World champion Germany announces World Cup roster
By Olaf Goldbecker
Germany Head Coach Silvia Neid announced the squad which is expected to defend the title at the 2011 World Cup in the nation of the reigning champion. Two world champions of 2007 did not make the final cut. Defender Sonja Fuss (FCR Duisburg) and forward Anja Mittag (Turbine Potsdam) will have to watch this year’s competition on TV. Also taken off the roster were defender Josephine Henning (Turbine Potsdam) and forward Conny Pohlers (1.FFC Frankfurt), as well as keeper Lisa Weiss (SG Essen-Schönebeck). (more…)
U.S. Coach Pia Sundhage names 21-player World Cup roster
The U.S. Women’s National team roster for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany was announced this morning. Coach Pia Sundhage is taking three keepers, seven defenders, seven midfielders, and four forwards to Germany for the tournament, which takes place from June 26-July 17. Nine of the players were part of the 2007 U.S. Women’s World Cup team that finished in third place in China. (more…)
Germany News: VfL Wolfsburg to add Lena Goessling
Chioma Igwe to SC Freiburg
Former Boston Breakers and Chicago Red Stars midfielder Chioma Igwe has signed a two-year contract to play for SC Freiburg, a German club recently promoted to Bundesliga after finishing first in the South Division of 2. Bundesliga this past season. Igwe will join SC Freiburg at the end of June 2011. Until then, she will play for the Bay Area Breeze of Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL). (more…)
Germany news: Dszenifer Marozsan out for the World Cup
One of Germany’s shining future stars who won the U-20 Women’s World Cup last summer, had her dream of playing in the World Cup in her home nation come to an end. In Sunday morning’s practice, Dszenifer Marozsan suffered a torn ligament in the right knee and is expected to be out for six weeks. National Team Coach Silvia Neid reacted and nominated Conny Pohlers for the preliminary World Cup roster.
Germany news: Lira Bajramaj to leave Potsdam
Lira Bajramaj confirmed Sunday that she had played her last home game for Turbine Potsdam. Monday, she signed with Frankfurt through the end of the 2014 season. The German Women’s National Team midfielder was a nominee this year for the FIFA World Player of the Year.
Germany news: Frankfurt signs Potsdam keeper Desiree Schumann
The latest addition of 1.FFC Frankfurt is a goalkeeper of champion Turbine Potsdam, 21-year-old Desiree Schumann. Schumann will change clubs after the season and signed a three-year contract with Frankfurt. In Potsdam, Schumann often shared the starting position with her three years younger competitor Anna Sarholz with the latter usually being in goal in the important games. In Frankfurt, Schumann is expected to have a “learning year” behind Nadine Angerer before taking over her starting role.
Germany news: Lewandowski will return to Frankfurt next season, SC Bad Neuenahr announce new coach
Runners up 1.FFC Frankfurt announced the re-signing of Gina Lewandowski for the upcoming season. Lewandowski currently is with the Western New York Flash in Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) and will re-join the German team for the 2011/12 season once the WPS season has concluded. SC Bad Neuenahr announced its new coach, 49-year-old England native Colin Bell. He spent seven years of his active career in Germany and has stayed their since. He has been coaching men’s teams, and is new in women’s soccer. His contract is for two seasons. (more…)
Germany: VfL Wolfsburg add Josephine Henning
Just a few days after locking in top striker Conny Pohlers, Vfl Wolfsburg has signed central defender Josephine Henning from Turbine Potsdam. The 22-year-old played for Potsdam for the past two years, has two caps for German Women’s National Team, and is currently on Germany’s preliminary World Cup roster. (more…)
Germany: VfL Wolfsburg signs top striker Conny Pohlers
VfL Wolfsburg was catching the attention in German women’s soccer with two recent signings. Joining the club will be Conny Pohlers of 1.FFC Frankfurt. Pohlers, a former Atlanta Beat player in the WUSA, finished the season as the top striker with 25 goals. She recently verbally attacked German National Team coach Silvia Neid for not being named to the World Cup roster. (more…)
DFB Cup Final: Frankfurt takes revenge on Potsdam
By Olaf Goldbecker
The 31st DFB Cup final was awaited with huge excitement since the champion Turbine Potsdam was meeting runners up 1.FFC Frankfurt in a clash of the best German teams of the season. Frankfurt started the final having won seven titles, while Potsdam won the trophy three times (each time against Frankfurt). Frankfurt got a goal from Kerstin Garefrekes in the 48th minute, which snapped a 1-1 tie and proved to the the game-winner in the 2-1 win. (more…)
European Club Ranking: Olympique Lyonnais new number 1
A new club placed itself on the throne in the European club ranking based on the results in the Champions League of the last five years. Long time top club Umea IK from Sweden has to leave the place on top after a disappointing season and is moved down to second place by French champions Olympique Lyonnais. The current semifinalists are followed in spots 3 to 5 by Arsenal LFC, FCR Duisburg, and Turbine Potsdam. The two German clubs are the only ones in the current competition to win all of their games and collecting the maximum number of 18 points so far. (more…)
League updates, including interviews with Lyon’s Sonia Bompastor and Fortuna Hjørring’s Lisa-Marie Woods
Several leagues throughout the world are in the midst of contending for the top playoff spot in their given leagues with players setting themselves apart from the rest with impressive stats. Take a look into this update to find out what’s happening right now in the women’s soccer world. Continue reading to see players’ input on how their team is doing and the impact that the Women’s World Cup will have on their season. (more…)
Germany: Two National Team players extend contracts
Germany National Team forward and veteran Martina Müller extended her contract with VfL Wolfsburg by two years. Müller joined Wolfsburg in 2005 and has been a constant top striker since. The 30-year-old is signed until June 2013. Also adding one more year with her present club is national team backup goalkeeper Lisa Weiss. The 23-year-old has been competing for SG Essen-Schönebeck since 2007.
Germany announces preliminary World Cup roster
German National Team Coach Silvia Neid held a press conference today to announce her preliminary roster of 26 players. Neid is in the comfortable position to have a ten weeks preparation for the World Cup since the association DFB ended Bundesliga early. The clubs sending most players are 1.FFC Frankfurt and FCR Duisburg with seven each. Champion Turbine Potsdam has five players. Even relegation endangered 2. Bundesliga club Magdeburger FFC has one player, goalkeeper Almuth Schult, on the roster. Missing one the list are e.g. Bundesliga top striker Conny Pohlers, or Turbine Potsdam midfielders Jennifer Zietz and Viola Odebrecht, who all have been in excellent shape lately. In contrast to them, Duisburg defender Annike Krahn is on the list, who has not played a single game since her ACL injury in fall. (more…)
Turbine coach criticizes World Cup preparation
Turbine Potsdam Head Coach Bernd Schröder has criticized the German Soccer Association DFB in regards to the league schedule being cut short due to early World Cup preparation for Germany’s women’s national team. The normal Bundesliga schedule runs until mid-May and sometimes into June, but it was cut short this year, ending in mid-March. (more…)
Germany: Potsdam, Frankfurt clinch Champions League spot, title decision on the last matchday
One week before the final matchday, the title race is still open. Both Frankfurt and Potsdam continued their streak and cared for postponing the decision on the championship to next weekend. Turbine Potsdam defended its top position easily, smashing host Bayer Leverkusen, 7-1, in front of their record crowd of 1,950. The second line of players had their big day. Team captain Jennifer Zietz, defensive midfielder, had a hat trick, while Viola Odebrecht continued her good shape and added a pair. (more…)
Germany: Nadine Angerer extends contract with Frankfurt
1.FFC Frankfurt goalkeeper Nadine Angerer extended her contract by another season. She is now signed until June 30, 2012. The world champion, who did not allow a single goal at the last World Cup, was considered to be one of the players who might retire this summer or go to play in another country. In other news this week from Germany, Hamburger SV celebrated a 3-2 success at VfL Wolfsburg in a makeup game. Wolfsburg could not manage to hold onto two leads (Selina Wagner scored twice for Wolfsburg). For Hamburg, Kim Kulig netted a pair as well, including the game-winner. Hamburg climbed to a surprising fourth place, while Wolfsburg dropped to a disappointing sixth place.
FCR Duisburg fires Coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg
In a surprise statement, FCR Duisburg announced that Head Coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg is released from her tasks for the club. Assistant Coach Marco Ketelaer will take over. (more…)
Germany: Potsdam stays on top due to Bajramaj resurrection
No less than five makeup games were scheduled for the middle of this week in German Bundesliga. Turbine Potsdam defended its place on top of the standings Tuesday after a 5-2 win at SC Bad Neuenahr. Potsdam led 2-0 at halftime, but Bad Neuenahr equalized until the 60th minute. The match winner for Potsdam was Lira Bajramaj (she was taken out on Sunday, a major injury was suspected, even the World Cup participation was endangered, according to reports). But on Monday, the relieve followed as Bajramaj played and scored four goals against Bad Neuenahr. (more…)
Bundesliga news: Odebrecht’s last minute goal keeps Potsdam on top
Before the regular league action resumed during this week, there were two cup quarterfinals as well as one make-up game on the schedule. In the cup competition 1.FFC Frankfurt had an easy task to solve. They travelled to sixth-place 2. Bundesliga club FSV Gütersloh. The giant favorites, who announced the signing of Swiss striker Ana Maria Crnogorcevic (Hamburger SV) that day, had no problem to qualify, but struggled more than expected in a 4-0 win with the first three goals coming off set pieces. (more…)
