2025 Draws Slowly to a Close
Union's Women Travel to Hoffenheim
With everyone returned from the international break, 1. FC Union Berlin's women's team are heading into the final stretch of 2025. On Sunday they will play TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in the 12th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga. Kick off at the Dietmar-Hopp-Stadion is at 14:00.
The lie of the land
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim's last fixture before the international break saw them go down 5-1 at home to league leaders FC Bayern München. It was their third consecutive defeat, having previosuly lost 1-0 in the league to 1. FC Köln and 6-4 in a thrilling DFB Pokal round of sixteen tie against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Union, meanwhile, managed to stop their run of three consecutive Bundesliga defeats, although the 1-1 draw at home against Hamburger SV felt unfortunate given their dominance. Union controlled much of the game but conceded apenalty shortly before the final whistle.
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, who have been a Bundesliga side since 2013, made headlines shortly before the international break with the departure of their head coach Theodoros Dedes. The Greek took over the team in the summer of 2024 and led them to sixth place last season as well as to the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal. At the time of his dismissal, Hoffenheim were back in sixth. Dedes' former assistant Thomas Johrden is currently managing the team as interim coach.
Selina Cerci has been primarily responsible for Hoffenheim's goals over the past 18 months. The 25-year-old German international was top scorer last season with 16, and also participated in the European Championship in the summer. She has seamlessly continued her form this season, with six goals from eight matches,and is currently the third highest scorer in the league.
Besides Cerci, forward colleague Melissa Kössler is also in good form. The Potsdam-born player has already scored four goals and provided four assists in seven appearances, equalling hermark already from the previous season. The 25-year-old, who played two international matches for Germany in 2023, is among the most efficient players in the league, averaging a goal or assist every hour.
Two Union players will face their former club on Sunday. Judith Steinert joined the TSG youth team at fifteen and stayed in Sinsheim for eleven years; between 2013 and 2022, she played 128 competitive matches and scored seven goals for Hoffenheim. Naika Reissner also briefly wore the TSG jersey in the 2021/22 season, when she made twelve appearances, scoring one goal for the U23 team in the 2. Bundesliga.
Union's coaching staff will have to do without Anna Aehling, Cara Bösl, Hannah Eurlings, Korina Janez, Leonie Köster, Mariann Noack, Tanja Pawollek, Naika Reissner, and Tomke Schneider on Sunday.
“Hoffenheim are a very strong team, and we want defend against them with will, determination, and fight. We also need to transfer this energy into the attacking side of our game and create and take our own chances,” said head coach Ailien Poese ahead of Saturday's game.
Tickets for the match are available in the ticket shop of TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. Block D is designated for away fans.
The match will be broadcast live inGermany on Magenta Sport and DAZN. Additionally, Union will provide updates on the match through its club's own live ticker,aswell asin English on Twitter. As ever there will be a full English match report published after the final whistle.
