Match Report
First derby with Schalke ends in draw
Both sides took a combative approach to the game right from the start. Dortmund made their first dangerous incursion into the Royal Blues' area following a short corner. However, Julia Matuszek in the Schalke goal was able to direct Madita Sommer's header just past the post and out for a corner. The BVB women remained dangerous and came close to scoring again after Ann-Sophie Vogel played in a dangerous cross from the left, but neither Mandy Reinhardt and Marjana Naceva were able to get a touch on the ball with the goal gaping. The hosts also carved out one or two chances before the half-time whistle, but BVB keeper Sandra Schröer did what was required to deny them. Both teams went into the dressing room at the interval with the score still at 0-0.
After the break, coach Thomas Sulewski felt his team lacked the control they showed in the first half: "In my opinion, we dominated the game in the first half, but we didn't always play it forward with enough conviction. We weren't quite able to carry over the flow into the second half. The game was a bit more open." In the largely even second half, both sides created a number of scoring chances, but none of them could be capitalised on. On the Dortmund end, it was Reinhardt who came closest to scoring. Once again, she was able to get a foot to the ball after a cross from Vogel, but her effort landed in the side netting. A shot from the right by Naceva also zipped just wide of the target. Schalke fought hard and also had some good chances. In the end, however, neither team was able to get the better of the opposing goalkeeper and so it was that the eternal rivals drew 0-0 in the headline match of the Westfalenliga.
"I think it was a good goalless draw for the spectators. In the end, it was a fair result. Even though we would have liked to extend our lead at the top of the table, the bottom line is that we're still top. The girls delivered everything we had discussed in terms of will, passion and team spirit, and I'm very happy with that," said Suleswki in his summary of the historic derby away to Schalke.
The BVB women will continue their Westfalenliga campaign next Sunday, 3 November, when they host BV Werther. The match kicks off at 13:00 CET at the Rote Erde stadium.
BVB women: Schröer – Böger, Sommer, Reimann, Vogel – Tayeh (81, Willeke), Gomulka, Bedarf (65, Wicke), Grothe, Naceva (88, Geldschläger) – Reinhardt (65, Giebels)