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Pre-Match Report

Conclusion of the “Cologne Weeks” for the BVB Women

For the third time in six weeks, the BVB Women will travel to Cologne for an away game this coming Sunday (Nov. 8). Head coach Markus Högner expects a challenging match against a defensively strong SC Fortuna Köln. The match, part of Matchday 11 of the Regionalliga West, kicks off at 1 p.m. at the Jean-Löring-Sportpark. 

The scenario

“That was a very good start to the coming weeks,” Markus Högner praised his team after their commanding 5-0 victory in Recklinghausen last week. The post-game debriefing during the week also confirmed what had been analyzed immediately after the match: “We played with high intensity and consistently dominated the opponent with clean passing and good movement from side to side.” The BVB Women aim to replicate this performance on Sunday to stay on track ahead of “challenging weeks,” even though their opponent from south of Cologne is known for its strong defense. 

Squad

Marina Scholz, who had to sit out last weekend due to illness, has not yet been able to resume training this week and will also miss Sunday’s match. Otherwise, the BVB Women are traveling to Cologne with a full squad.

Opponent

The club has climbed to eighth place in the Regionalliga West standings with ten points from its last four league games. “They really made a statement with their 6-0 home win against Arminia Bielefeld,” acknowledges BVB coach Markus Högner, who rates the well-drilled team higher than its eighth-place standing would suggest. The fact that Fortuna Köln has conceded only nine goals in ten games—placing them tied for second in the league with the fewest goals allowed, alongside FC Schalke 04 and VfR SW Warbeyen—is another reason for the head coach to take the match very seriously. That’s why, in preparation for the away game, the BVB Women are training on the artificial turf at the Jean-Löring-Sportpark—not just during their final practice session, but also throughout the week. 

Established Regional League Team

The women’s soccer team from Cologne’s Südstadt district is already playing its 14th season in the Regionalliga West. After the women’s soccer division was founded in 2003, things quickly took off. In their first Regionalliga season, 2007–08, the club finished third in the standings. Since then, the Cologne women have been relegated from the Regionalliga only three times; they have firmly reestablished themselves in the third-highest division since the 2022–23 season and have consistently finished in the league’s top five at the end of each season. Last season, the BVB Women defeated Fortuna Cologne 3–0 on the road and celebrated a 6–0 victory in their home game at Rote Erde Stadium.

The away game in Cologne’s Südstadt district (Jean-Löring-Sportpark, Am Vorgebirgstor, 50969 Cologne) kicks off on Sunday (Nov. 8) at 1 p.m.
Mirko Hase

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