Insatiable record winners
VfL Wolfsburg celebrates their ninth cup win in a row
May 18, 2023, 6:40 p.m
After a dominant initial phase by the women, SC Freiburg wakes up and offers strong resistance in the cup final. But in the end, thanks to the class of striker Alexandra Popp, Wolfsburg are one size too big. VfL is crowned DFB Cup winner for the ninth (!) time in a row.
After the successful record hunt in front of a record crowd, the VfL Wolfsburg cup queens jumped in circles and let their joy run free. Spurred on by 44,808 fans at the sold-out final in Cologne, the insatiable team led by captain Alexandra Popp clinched the DFB Cup for the ninth time in a row.
VfL defeated the courageous SC Freiburg 4-1 (1-1) on Thursday evening and became the sole record winner with their tenth triumph. “We’re just happy. We played a really good game and let the ball run well,” said Popp, who raved about the atmosphere on ARD: “It’s an amazing atmosphere in the stadium, that’s what football is all about .”
After an early own goal by Lisa Karl (4th), Rebecka Blomqvist (57th), Popp (84th) and Dominique Janssen (89th, hand penalty after video evidence) scored for the ripped-off subscription champion. Janina Minge (42nd) had meanwhile equalized for the SCF, which despite brave resistance has to wait for the first title in the club’s history.
“The winner is already certain,” DFB President Bernd Neuendorf enthused before kick-off on Sky when looking at the ranks: “This is women’s football in front of this great backdrop.” The 13-year-old record of 26,282 final viewers was pulverized. After the probably lost triple chance, the next spectacle awaits the Wolves on June 3rd, who conceded their last cup defeat in November 2013. In the Champions League dream final in Eindhoven against FC Barcelona, however, VfL are in the outsider role.
Popp makes everything clear
Four days after the 4-0 debacle at Eintracht Frankfurt in the championship race, Wolfsburg coach Tommy Stroot had half a dozen German EM heroes in his starting XI, Marina Hegering and Lena Lattwein were missing injured. At the other end, coach Theresa Merk had to replace goalkeeper Lena Nuding (knee injury) and was replaced by Gabrielle Lambert on her starting XI debut.
And the Canadian was challenged early on – but when Lynn Wilms crossed in, she only got the ball with her toes, which Karl cleared into her own goal. The traveling SCF supporters, who were warned before the start of the game after two smoke bombs had been ignited, continue to tirelessly whip their team into the repeat of the 2019 final (1-0 for Wolfsburg). In black special jerseys ten years after the treble in 2013, however, VfL initially got stuck in the Freiburg half. The 2-0 was in the air, but Lambert was there against Svenja Huth (16th) and Felicitas Rauch (28th). The sports club put the first needle pricks before the eyes of national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, then Minge actually let the underdog cheer with her header after a corner. Shortly thereafter, the break whistle followed.
After the change of sides, Stroot brought in his noble joker Ewa Pajor for Sveindis Jonsdottir. But the Freiburg women had the first chance through Giovanna Hoffmann (57th), national goalkeeper Merle Frohms parried. Exactly 27 seconds later, however, Blomqvist dusted off the other side after Pajor hit the post. In the final phase, Popp made everything clear with his head. Before the last goal, referee Fabienne Michel (Mainz) received help from the basement at the VAR premiere in the women’s final. Janssen converted the penalty due.