A stunning first half strike from Kenza Dali condemned Germany to a second recent defeat to a major European rival. While the match was only a friendly, it offers coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg food for thought.
Women′s Champions League final: Barcelona hammer Chelsea to win first title | Sports| German football and major international sports news | DW dw.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dw.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Women's Champions League final: German duo key to Chelsea hopes
The days of German clubs dominating the Women's Champions League are gone. Sunday's final between Barcelona and Chelsea will see a new name on the trophy, but Chelsea's German duo are likely to leave their mark.
Melanie Leupolz and Ann-Katrin Berger have already lifted two trophies with Chelsea this season
Nine of the past 10 Women's Champions Leagues have been shared between two clubs — Wolfsburg and Lyon — while German or French clubs have won 16 of the 19 titles to date.
But the landscape in women's football is changing, and Sunday's final in Gothenburg is evidence that the traditional superpowers have been usurped. Though Germany will be without a team in the final, midfielder Melanie Leupolz and goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger are key components of Emma Hayes' Chelsea side.
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Twenty years ago the San Diego Spirit played its inaugural before 6,155 at sold-out Torero Stadium at the University of San Diego, a 2-0 loss to the Philadelphia Charge.
The Women’s United Soccer Association, the women’s pro soccer league that included the San Diego Spirit, drew heavily on the allure of the members of the U.S. national team, including Shannon MacMillan, Julie Foudy and Joy Fawcett who played for the San Diego Spirit. The WUSA folded in 2003 after just three seasons, but its memories remain.
From The San Diego Union-Tribune, Monday, April 23, 2001:
INAUGURAL GAME - A SPIRITED DEBUT
Melanie Leupolz: Germany can learn from Women's Super League
Experienced German international Melanie Leupolz swapped Bayern Munich for English side Chelsea in the summer. But the midfielder feels that more needs to be done to change the view of the women’s game in Germany.
Melanie Leupolz has become a regular at Chelsea after joining from Bayern Munich
When Melanie Leupolz was presented with the chance to swap Bayern Munich for Chelsea last year, it was an offer she simply couldn’t refuse. The allure of the Women's Super League (WSL), and the opportunity to experience something new was a dream come true. After finishing the season at Bayern, she packed her bags and headed for London.