With three wins from three games, 1. FC Union Berlin’s women’s team have got 2025 off to the best possible start. This coming Sunday, 9 March, they will want to add to that as they play SG 99 Andernach. Kick off at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei is at 14:00.

The lie of the land

SG 99 Andernach hosted one of the league's top teams last weekend when league leaders 1. FC Nürnberg beat the Bäckermädchen 4-1. This came a week after they managed to get their first points of the calendar year with a 4-2 win at SV 67 Weinberg.

Meanwhile, Union were fighting for their own 1-0 win in Weinberg. Despite difficult pitch conditions, the Berliners controlled the game but struggled to take advantage of their dominance in front of goal, and it took until the 63rd minute for captain, Lisa Heiseler, to score the only goal of the game.

The opponents

After consistent upper mid-table finishes in the 2. Bundesliga in recent years, the Rhineland-Palatinate side are currently in a relegation battle. With twelve points from 16 games, they are currently 13th, second from bottom in the league. However, they are still only two points from safety.

If their 32 goals conceded gives them, statistically at least, the third-worst defence in the league, things look even bleaker in attack for Andernach. Only bottom-of-the-table SC Freiburg II (10) have conceded fewer goals than their 12. However, 33-year-old veteran Carolin Schraa, who has scored three in the last two games and four in four appearances this season, offers a rare ray of hope.

All things considered, it is all the more surprising that it was Andernach who inflicted the only first half of the season defeat over league leaders 1. FC Nürnberg, winning 1-0 at home on the third day of the season. However, the team failed to live up to expectations after that, which is why the club parted company with head coach André Steinbach, who had only taken up the post in the summer, in November. Isabelle Hawel, who had previously spent years coaching in Andernach but had to take a back seat due to maternity leave, now manages the team together with Thomas Strotzer.

The head to head

The last time the sides met, Union won 2-0 with goals from Pia Metzker and Korina Janez.

Before that, the only previous games had come in 2019 promotion play-offs. After a 1-1 draw in Berlin, Andernach ultimately managed to advance to the 2. Bundesliga with a 2-0 win in at home in the second leg.

The personnel

On Sunday, Union's head coach Ailien Poese will have to do without Maria Cristina Lange, Leonie Köster, Sophie Trojahn, Tomke Schneider, Marie Becker, Ida Heikkinen, Fatma Sakar and Nele Bauereisen.

The  coach’s views  ahead of the game

“Andernach are a strong team in the duels, who are quick in the transition,” said Union’s head coach, Ailien Poese, ahead of Sunday’s game. “We want to prevent this direct play from deep, take on the duels and use the ball  successfully in order to keep the next three points at the Alte Försterei.”

Service information

The stadium An der Alten Försterei opens its gates on Sunday at 12:30, when ticket offices 1 and 2 will be open. Tickets for the game are available for purchase at all Union’s Zeughaus stores, as well as online.

To avoid long lines at the entrances, fans are asked to arrive in good time. There are a limited number of parking spaces available in the car park in front of the main stand and at the Ballsporthalle on Hämmerlingstraße. The parking fee is €4 for both locations.

The game will be broadcast live on AFTV+. There will also be a club-run live ticker, as well as live updates in English and Spanish on twitter.