Dhe Wolfsburg footballers put on their white cup winning shirts and started the probably long party to Cologne carnival music. Yet again! Thanks to the clear 4:0 (3:0) in the cup final against Turbine Potsdam, the VfL team of coach Tommy Stroot made the double perfect and equaled the previous record of 1. FFC Frankfurt with a total of nine titles in this competition. “You have to be hoarse at some point and only go home in the light. We’re doing that today, too,” said goalkeeper Almuth Schult on Sky, who experienced an emotional farewell.
The 31-year-old, who is moving to the USA for the coming season, clearly enjoyed the party in the rows of her teammates. “It means a lot. This team showed what was possible this season,” said Schult. “You have to take everything with you.”
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In front of 17,531 spectators in Cologne, Ewa Pajor (11th/33rd), Jill Roord (42nd) and Dominique Janssen (69th) ensured the North Germans’ eighth consecutive cup triumph on Saturday. “It’s a wonderful feeling,” said Pajor on ARD. “We’re continuing to write the story.” Stroot added: “In the second half of the season we got into a flow that couldn’t have been planned.” The team will “really enjoy the evening”.
Turbine Potsdam, on the other hand, has to wait for their first major success since the German championship in 2012. “We are all very disappointed. I must say that I did not expect such a high result. We are very sad,” said Potsdam’s Sara Agrež on Sky. Her trainer Sofian Chahed said on ARD: “In the end, experience won.”
Federal President Steinmeier in the stands
Unlike in various finals in recent years at the same venue with overtime and penalties, the Wolfsburg team was spared the thrill this time. As in the two Bundesliga games against Postdam with two 3-0 wins, the defending champions again turned out to be the better team and secured their sixth consecutive double after 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 with their 40th win in a cup game.
As expected, VfL took control from the start. But the underdog from Potsdam had the first good chance with a counterattack worth seeing. After a pass from Maria Plattner, Karen Holmgaard (8th) appeared free in front of the Wolfsburg goal, but was blocked at the last moment.
In contrast to the opponent, the serial winner of the past few years used the first opportunity to take the lead. Pajor headed a corner from Felicitas Rauch into the far corner and didn’t give Turbine goalkeeper Anna Wellmann a chance.
Potsdam continued to rely on fast switching, but mostly lacked precision with the last pass. This harmlessness was to take revenge a little later. Spurred on by the lead, Wolfsburg gained further field advantages and got closer and closer to the turbine goal. The strong Svenja Huth missed the possible 2:0 (25th) with her unplaced shot from 12 meters.
And yet VfL ensured clear conditions before the break. Pajor headed in again from a Lynn Wilms cross and sent the ball over the line from close range. When Roord then scored with a shot from eleven yards, the game was decided early on.
“VfL Wolfsburg certainly went into the race as favorites and, above all, towards the end of the first half they lived up to their role as favourites. It’s going to be difficult for Potsdam with this 0:3,” commented Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at halftime on Sky as a grandstand guest of the one-sided final.
Schult was only put to the test after the restart when she skillfully parried a header from Holmgaard (51′). Although the underdog from Potsdam now appeared bolder, the Wolfsburg victory was never in danger. With a deflected free kick from 18 meters Janssen removed the last doubts.
