DThe Eintracht Frankfurt footballers started the group stage of the Champions League with a sense of success and are now challenging the defending champions FC Barcelona. Coach Niko Arnautis’ team beat Swedish record champions FC Rosengard 2-1 (1-0) on Tuesday evening. In front of almost 1,000 spectators on the artificial turf of the Idrottsplats stadium in Malmö, captain Tanja Pawollek (25th minute) scored for the Bundesliga club after strong preparatory work from Nicole Anyomi and Barbara Dunst (84th).
“We are extremely happy that we are starting the group phase like this,” said Arnautis after the final whistle. “Something historic happened today that Eintracht Frankfurt is playing in the group phase of the Champions League. Of course it’s all the better that we won the game. The joy is huge.” Pawollek spoke of a good performance by her team: “We could have scored three or four goals. Barcelona will definitely be a completely different game.”
Next up is FC Barcelona
On November 22nd, the Frankfurt team will host Barcelona at Deutsche Bank Park with Spanish world champions such as Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmati and Salma Paralluelo for their first home game. The third group opponent is Benfica Lisbon.
The Frankfurt women dominated the game against the Swedes in the first half and were able to extend their lead through Anyomi and Lara Prasnikar shortly before the break and after just under an hour. Hanna Andersson then hit the crossbar for Rosengard (78th) when the guests let up. Dunst ended the tremors with her goal, even if Olivia Schough reduced the score to 1:2 in stoppage time.
A good three years after taking over the former European Cup winner 1. FFC Frankfurt, it was Eintracht’s premiere in the group phase.
The German champions FC Bayern Munich will face AS Roma this Wednesday (6.45 p.m./DAZN and DAZN YouTube channel). This year’s premier class finalist VfL Wolfsburg failed before the group games against Paris FC.
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