On Sunday, 28.04.2024, the women's team of 1. FC Union Berlin will play city rivals Hertha BSC in the Regionalliga Nordost. Kick off in the Stadion An der Alten Försterei is at 13:00. 

The opponents

In their first season in women's football for over 30 years, Hertha BSC are currently in 7th place in the table with 25 points. Compared to their predecessor team Hertha 03 Zehlendorf, who finished last season two points clear of the relegation places, the Charlottenburg side are having a much more successful season and are currently the third-best placed women's team in Berlin, just one point behind Türkiyemspor. Hertha played particularly well in the first half of the season finding themselves in 4th place with 21 points at Christmas. The highlight was probably the 2-1 win on matchday 7 against the previous year's champions Viktoria Berlin.

After the winter break, however, Hertha have only picked up four points from six games so far, with the team's only competitive win in 2024 coming at the beginning of March in a 5-3 win against 1. FFV Erfurt, which was followed by a point in a 3-3 draw against Turbine Potsdam II two weeks ago. Last weekend, however, they lost 5-0 to Viktoria Berlin despite it being goalless at half-time.

Hertha’s head coach, Manuel Meister, who took over the team last summer and only recently extended his contract, will count on Elfie Wellhausen particularly up front. The 18-year-old has already scored 13 goals in 17 appearances this season. 

The head to head

The two clubs have already faced each other twice this season. In the summer, Union won the season opener 6-1, after Hertha took an early lead, in front of 1,500 spectators at the Olympiapark. Union reacted quickly to the setback and led 4-1 at the break. 

The teams also met eight weeks ago in the quarter-finals of the Polytan Cup, when another big crowd at Dörpfeldstraße saw the hosts win 5-0. Celine Frank opened the scoring after half an hour, before Dina Orschmann, Athanasia Moraitou, Lisa Heiseler and Sarah Abu Sabbah increased the score in the second half. 

The personnel

Head coach Ailien Poese will be without Maria Cristina Lange, Pauline Wimmer, Anna Weiß, Pia Metzker, Charleen Niesler and Sarah Hornschuch on Sunday due to injury.  

The coach’s views ahead of the game

“Hertha BSC are a strong team that have individual quality,” said Union’s head coach, Ailien Poese, ahead of Sunday’s game. “They have lost a few games in recent weeks, which is not untypical for such a young team. We're very much looking forward to the crowd and have prepared accordingly with a final training session in the stadium.”

Hertha coach Manuel Meister, meanwhile, had this to say ahead of the game. “This is the highest hurdle there is in this league. Nevertheless, we're looking forward to the task and a great setting with lots of fans. It will be a special experience for our young team, we've never played in front of so many fans before. Irrespective of that, we want to be brave there too, make some inroads and impose our idea of the game on the pitch - just as we did for long stretches at Viktoria despite the result.”

Service information

The stadium doors will open at 11:30 on Sunday. Tickets for the match can be purchased both online and at the Union-Zeughaus stores. Standing tickets cost €5, seated for €10. Children up to the age of 12 are admitted free of charge but require a corresponding free ticket for both standing and seated areas. Tickets will be available on the door. As with all other matches at the Alte Försterei, stadium regulations apply and fans are requested to arrive in good time.

The match will be broadcast live on rbb.