On Sunday, 05.05.2024, the women’s team of 1. FC Union Berlin will visit Magdeburger FFC as part of the 19th matchday of the Regionalliga Nordost.
The opponents
Magdeburg are currently sat in 8th place in the table with 23 points from 18 games and will therefore remain in the Regionalliga Nordost next season. For the Elbe city side, therefore, all focus is on finishing this season as high as possible, as 5th place, currently occupied by RB Leipzig II, still seems attainable with a gap of just three points. Two weeks ago, Magdeburg beat Bischofswerdaer FV 3-0 to continue the good form they have shown in the second half of the season that has seen them take13 points from seven games.
Neele Abraham is the top scorer in Alexander Auer’s side. The 19-year-old has scored eight goals so far this season.
But that’s not the only reason Magdeburger FFC will take to the pitch on Sunday with a certain confidence. On Wednesday, the team won the Saxony-Anhalt Cup for the eighth time in a row with a 6-0 victory in the final against SV Blau Weiß Dölau, qualifying them for the DFB Pokal next season.
By then, however, they will compete under a new club name, with Magdeburger FFC merging with 1. FC Magdeburg for the new season, allowing the previously independent women’s football club to benefit from the men’s second-division club’s infrastructure, and thus be more sustainable in the future.
The head to head
The two clubs have met 24 times to date, with Union having won 16 of them. Magdeburg have won five, and there have been three draws.
Union won the last match, 5-0, at Dörpfeldstraße. Sarah Abu Sabbah gave them an early lead after five minutes, which Athanasia Moraitou doubled before the break. Maria Cristina Lange scored a brace to seal the win before Abu Sabbah added the final goal shortly before the final whistle.
The personnel
Head coach Ailien Poese will be without Maria Cristina Lange, Pauline Wimmer, Anna Weiß and Pia Metzker on Sunday due to injury.
The coach’s view ahead of the game
“We want to continue to improve our possession game against Magdeburg and defend well, knowing that Magdeburg can always be dangerous on the counterattack,” said Poese during midweek. “The aim is to bring the next three points to Köpenick.”
Service information
The match will kick off at 14:00 on Sunday at the Heinrich-Germer-Stadion (Salzmannstraße 34, 39112 Magdeburg).