DFB Cup semi-final of women: Werder defeats the HSV before record scenes

The backdrop was as expected, namely: huge. Flags were swiveled in the north stand in the Hamburg Volksparkstadion, it was loud, it was sung, and the guest team was received with whistles and abuse. In short: it was Nord derby, the classic duel between HSV and Werder Bremen. And yet it was a kind of premiere. The stage belonged to the women of women on Sunday, they met in the semi-finals of the DFB Cup, in a sporting framework, as the men’s teams have not managed for a long time. And in addition, it was an event with a signal effect: 57,000 people gathered in the stands, new audience record in a football game for women in Germany.

In any case, the spectators were not disappointed, they saw a cup game with so many rotations and twists that 90 minutes were not sufficient. The winner had to be determined in the extension, where first division team Werder 3-1 prevailed against the second division club HSV. In the final, the Bremen women now meet FC Bayern.

In any case, the supposed class difference was hardly recognizable. On the one hand, it was because the favorite Bremeners spread too many mistakes in their game. On the other hand, the HSV called a disciplined and courageous performance, a kind of collective work in which all players brought themselves equally. In the first half, the teams were largely neutralizing themselves, there were some chances to score, but hardly any good goal finishes. From the second half, the offensive efforts then became more constructive – and the game became wild: The permanently swirling Hamburg -based Lisa Baum forced Saskia Matheis to a foul in the 54th minute, which resulted in the gel bread card for the Bremen.

However, as so often, the numerical surcharge did not immediately proved itself as an advantage. A fatal back pass to HSV goalkeeper Inga Schuldt was intercepted by Sophie Weidauer, the striker scored 1-0 for Werder (81st), but the ten Hamburg women did not give up: Sarah Stöckmann scored the 1-1 extension in the 90th minute, everything was in it. But the Routine of the Bremen women could no longer be overlooked: Weidur scored the 2: 1 (117th), Verena again to the 3: 1 final score (120th). After the final whistle, the Werder women pulled in front of the traveling fans who traveled with them and let themselves be celebrated. And yet they felt not the only winners of this game.