Important Three Points Against Jena II

After a month without a home match, Viktoria was back in action at the Stadion Lichterfelde on Saturday. The Sky Blues hosted Carl-Zeiss Jena II for the 8th matchday of the Regional League Northeast. Jena, with just two points less and one game less, a crucial game for FC Viktoria Berlin.

The players were fully aware of the importance, as they showed right from the start. Captain Marlies Sänger narrowly missed the target in the first minute. But just three minutes later, she found the back of the net to make it 1-0 (4'). Danya Barsalona sent in a textbook cross from the right, straight to the captain's head in the six-yard box, no chance for Jena to defend.

Jena Solid in Midfield

The game then slowed down a bit, not without excitement, but clear chances were rare. Selina Grosch, Louise Trapp, and Kim Urbanek tested Jena's keeper Malin Wichmann (8', 14', 26'). But Wichmann and her teammates managed to clear each situation. Viktoria controlled the game, even though Jena showed more resistance than Dresden did in the previous home match (12-0). Especially in midfield, the guests were able to win some key battles.

While Viktoria had raised the pressure earlier, Jena began creating more opportunities towards the half-hour mark. Leonie Wichmann had a shot, but Viktoria’s keeper Inga Buchholz easily handled it. Overall, Jena lacked precision in their offensive moves. The best example came when Anna Krafczyk and Kerstin Breker broke through, with only Buchholz, Vanessa Lux, and Anna Höfker left between them and the goal. But Breker wasted the big chance by shooting too early (38').

Barsalona Unlucky: Crossbar Denies 2-0

Jena posed little threat to Viktoria, who responded by increasing the pressure once more. The second half continued in a similar fashion, Jena offered less and less, while Viktoria had a few decent chances but couldn’t extend their lead. They came close when Barsalona’s shot hit the crossbar, saving Jena (55').

The game progressed uneventfully towards the final whistle. Viktoria created a few more chances through Nina Ehegötz (60', 74'), Katja Friedl (67'), and Barsalona (78'), but it remained 1-0. In the last action of the game, Jena almost gave Viktoria fans a heart attack when Buchholz miscleared, leaving Anne-Wiebke Schmidt with a chance at an empty net. Luckily, she fired over the bar from close range (90'+6).

Mona Sarr Returns Against Jena

With these three points, Viktoria pulled away from Carl-Zeiss Jena II. The teams are now separated by five points, with Viktoria still chasing Union Berlin at the top of the table. A special moment in this 1-0 victory was that Mona Sarr made her comeback after more than a year out due to injury, coming on in the 93rd minute.

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Line-up:

FC Viktoria Berlin: Buchholz - Grosch, Höfker, Lux, Trapp - Gerken (90'+1 Casanovas Diaz), Friedl - Ehegötz, Sänger, Barsalona (83. Wasiak) - Urbanek (90'+3 Sarr).

Tor:

1-0 Marlies Sänger (4')