After her phantom goal to win the point, Alexandra Popp spoke plainly. “That was lucky for us, you have to say in this case, because even after that we weren’t necessarily forward to even be likely to score a goal,” the VfL Wolfsburg captain admitted on Sport1 after the wild 3:3 (1:2) draw at the start of the Bundesliga against Werder Bremen.
Popp’s goal for the final score should not have counted. The referee team led by Nadine Westerhoff overlooked the fact that the ball landed on the goal line in the 66th minute and bounced back towards the field with a lot of spin. Werder goalkeeper Livia Peng had previously shot at the onrushing Popp; the video assistant that is much discussed in the men’s game does not exist in the women’s Bundesliga.
After this memorable Monday evening, the serial cup winners are going into the battle for the championship with a mortgage. “I’m actually a bit annoyed now,” admitted VfL coach Tommy Stroot: “It annoys me because more could have been achieved, I know how important these games are.” Long-time rivals Bayern Munich had started their mission to defend their title with a mandatory 2-0 win at newly promoted Turbine Potsdam.
Stroot also said that the point win, including the strange VfL own goal and a Bremen expulsion in the final phase, was fortunate, but criticized the penalty that was not given after a foul on Lineth Beerensteyn (18th minute). Werder coach Thomas Horsch, meanwhile, was “proud” of the point win against the clear favorites, despite the wrong decision on Popp’s goal: “We don’t even need to discuss that. It was simply a great game.”
