Huge fight, bitter ending: Viktoria knocked out after extra time against Leverkusen

FC Viktoria Berlin have been knocked out of the first round of the Women's DFB-Pokal. Against Frauen-Bundesliga side Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Miren Ćatović's team held firm at 0-0 for 90 minutes before going down 0-2 in extra time. The defeat ends Viktoria's run of six consecutive competitive wins – but with a performance the team can be proud of.

25 degrees and 2,033 spectators at Stadion Lichterfelde: the setting for the first-ever competitive meeting between the two sides was worthy of a cup Sunday. For this special afternoon, the dugouts had even been moved to the opposite side of the pitch, so that they now looked directly towards the stand and the fans. Dressed in sky blue, Viktoria, leaders of the 2. Frauen-Bundesliga, welcomed the sixth-placed side of the Frauen-Bundesliga.

Viktoria stay compact and grow into the game

Both teams made a cautious start. Leverkusen tried to take control early on and saw more of the ball, but struggled to find any gaps against a compact Viktoria defence. The first attempt on goal belonged to the hosts: in the 8th minute, Sarah Stöckmann swung a cross into the box, but it failed to find a teammate.

As the game went on, Viktoria grew into it more and more, carried by the loud backing of the fans in the stands. The visitors' efforts posed no problems for Michele Tschudin in the Viktoria goal. At the other end, Senanur Yavuz had the best chance of the first half in the 38th minute, when her shot from around 18 metres flew just wide of the left post. The teams went into the break goalless.

On a level playing field with the top-flight side

After the restart, there was still no sign of any gap in class. Neither side gave an inch, and Viktoria matched their opponents for long spells. In the 61st minute, Maya Hahn got a shot away that flew just over the crossbar. Shortly afterwards, a ball intended as a cross from Viktoria turned dangerous and won another corner.

Both coaches turned to their benches, with Leverkusen bringing on Maja Sternad among others in the 60th minute. Clear chances dried up for both sides in the closing stages of normal time, and so the game went into extra time at 0-0.

Sternad settles it in extra time

There, Leverkusen made their quality count: in the 94th minute, substitute Maja Sternad gave the visitors the lead, and seven minutes later she doubled it with her second goal to make it 0-2.

Just before the turnaround in extra time came the next setback: Michele Tschudin, who had been in fine form until then, was forced off injured. With all substitutions already used, outfield player Sarah Stöckmann went in goal, and Viktoria played the remainder of the match a player down. Even so, the team never gave up and defended with great commitment until the final whistle.

After the cup exit, attention now turns back to the league: next Sunday, 4 October, Viktoria travel to Borussia Mönchengladbach for matchday 8 of the 2. Frauen-Bundesliga, with kick-off at 2pm at the Grenzlandstadion.

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Goals:

0:1 Maja Sternad (94')

0:2 Maja Sternad (101')

Starting XI:

Tschudin – Klotz, Ihlenburg, Hahn, Schouwstra, Stöckmann, Höfker (81' Ezebinyuo), Polášková (73' Casanovas), Ehegötz (65' Reuter), Yavuz (73' Künzel), Aydin (81' Wasiak)