Frankfurt’s Waldstadion when Bayern Munich newcomer Georgia Stanway plunged into a tough tackle, earning a yellow card just seven minutes into his Bundesliga debut and nearly stripping one of his teammates in the process. Heckles rang throughout.
Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern struggled to score points, ending in a goalless draw.
But a far more interesting story took place in the stands where the Bundesliga’s record-breaking crowd of 23,200 spent most of the match creating a party atmosphere.
At the post-match press conference, Frankfurt captain Tanja Pawolek said: “It was a great experience. You can see that we needed some time to get into the game.”
“Exciting” Attendance
“The attendance record is great for women’s football. Hopefully it will be the next step and people will really start enjoying the women’s Bundesliga.”
Just 90 minutes before the match started, gray skies enveloped Frankfurt and hordes of fans limped into the torrential rain towards the stadium, usually home of Eintracht Frankfurt’s men’s team.
By the time the game started, the clouds had cleared appropriately, although many fans were still pouring through the turnstiles into the stands. The sun hit the Waldstadion and the two teams were ready.
Frankfurt forward Laura Freigang said: “It was a great pleasure to play in front of so many fans. “The setting inspired us.”
It was a unique experience for most players who were trying to focus on what was happening on the pitch rather than the stands.
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Both sides were brimming with international stars from Germany and England, who played in front of 87,192 spectators in the Euro 2022 final at Wembley on 31 July, but they were forced to play in Frankfurt and Munich on Friday night. There were also many inexperienced young players in shirts.
Last season, only Eintracht Frankfurt and Turbine Potsdam averaged over 1,000 Bundesliga attendances, while Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich, the two best financially backed teams, averaged around 750. .
Germany and Frankfurt defensive midfielder Sara Doasson believes players can perform to a higher standard when given a bigger stage.
“The fans created a great atmosphere,” she added. “This is great for women’s football in Germany.”
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Lara Plasnikar (with the ball) is challenged by Bayern’s Taynara
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“If you give us the stage, the proper publicity, and the mechanics of holding such events, we will be able to do that more often.”
“We played great, aggressive football. We had good tackles and good pressing. It was cool to see the emotion on the pitch with the fans.”
This season, it is already clear that the Bundesliga’s season opener will not be a one-off on the scale of where the match will be played.
Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg have announced that their home game against Bayern Munich at the end of October will take place at the Volkswagen Arena, where the men’s team will play.
Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg, including Lena Oberdorf and Alexandra Popp, will host Bayern at the Volkswagen Arena.
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The desire and respect for women’s football is finally reaching the level that those involved in the game have long desired, but there are still gaps on the pitch.
Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich have traded Bundesliga titles for the past eight years. The financial backing of both sides will not only provide better compensation for players, but also provide other benefits, such as improved training facilities.
Serious investment is key if the Bundesliga as a whole is to take the next step towards growth and truly respond to growing interest in the game.
Frankfurt satisfied with draw
But on Friday, Frankfurt held on to more than that, buoyed by the support of the home crowd, even as the distance between the two sides was felt.
“You don’t expect to come out against Bayern and have more balls,” said forward Freigang. “We did exactly that. We could have been closer to the goal depending on the situation, but we did well and I’m happy with the points.”
Doorsoun was similarly pleased with the team’s efforts. “She would have had points before kick-off, but given the circumstances, she deserved three points,” she said.
Bayern Munich players celebrate with fans after draw in Frankfurt
A 0-0 score won’t tell the story of the night for years to come. The match that showed the desire for women’s football was fully realized.
Now, the question is whether the league is fully prepared to meet that desire.
Editor: Felix Tamsut
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