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On Sunday, 12.05.2024, the women’s team of 1. FC Union Berlin will face 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam II in the Regionalliga Nordost. Kick off at the Sportforum Potsdam Waldstadt/Schlaatz is at 14:00.
The opponents
With 35 points from 19 games, 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam II currently occupy 4th place in the Regionalliga Nordost. After a difficult start to the season for the recently relegated team from the 2. Liga, Turbine were in only 6th place at the break. But the team from Brandenburg are in impressive form in the second half of the season. With 19 points from eight games, the U20 team are having the third best Ruckrunde behind only Union and Viktoria Berlin. This has led Turbine II to third, level on points with FC Carl Zeiss Jena II who had a nine point advantage over them at Christmas.
Indeed, their 4-0 reverse at home to Viktoria has been their only loss of the Calendar year. This was followed by four wins in a row before a spectacular 3-3 draw against Hertha BSC three-and-a-half weeks ago broke the streak. They roared back, and the last two games have seen 5-1 and 5-2 wins over Türkiyemspor and Bischofswerdaer FV respectively.
Head coach Thomas Kandler, who has been in charge of the U20s since 2005, leads a side for whom attacker Emily Lemke stands out in particular. With 20 goals this season, the 18-year-old is the league’s third-highest scorer behind Union’s Sarah Abu Sabbah (34) and Dina Orschmann (25). Lemke has scored at least one goal in each of the last seven games.
The reunion
For some Union players, the away game in Potsdam on Sunday is a return to their old stomping grounds. Pia Metzker, for example, only moved to Köpenick from 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam II last summer. Numerous other players, including Dina and Katja Orschmann, Maria Cristina Lange, Celine Frank and Sophie Trojahn, also laced up their boots for Turbine in the past.
The head to head
Union’s 8-0 win in the first half of the season marked only their second victory over 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam II in the history of both teams. In the previous 17 encounters, the U20 team from Potsdam had prevailed 13 times, while three games ended in draws and Union only managed to win once, a 1-0 in the 2. Liga in May 2017.
The personnel
Head coach Ailien Poese will be without Maria Cristina Lange, Pauline Wimmer, Anna Weiß and Sophie Trojahn on Sunday due to injury.
The coach’s views ahead of the game
“Turbine Potsdam II have stabilised a lot in the second half of the season and grown as a team,” said Union’s head coach, Ailien Poese, ahead of Sunday. “We’re expecting an aggressive opponent who have always shown in previous games how to create chances and make the most of them. We need to be alert and consistent defensively and make the most of our own opportunities.”
Service information
The game kicks off at 14:00 on Sunday at the Sportforum Potsdam Waldstadt/Schlaatz. Regular tickets cost €6 euros, concessions cost €5.
