On Sunday, 07.04.2024, the women's team of 1. FC Union Berlin will host FC Carl Zeiss Jena II as part of the 16th matchday of the Regionalliga Nordost.

The opponents

FC Carl Zeiss Jena’s U20 team are currently 3rd in the Regionalliga Nordost with 32 points from 15 games. The Thuringians, who have been competing in the Regionalliga Nordost since 2020 following their merger with FF USV Jena, are on course to have the best season in their nascent history. Jena have finished 6th both seasons since the merger. 

This season, Jena II have been characterised above all by their strength on the road where they have picked up 19 points from eight games so far, putting them in 2nd place in the away table behind Union. This run includes wins over direct rivals such as Hertha BSC (3-1) and Türkiyemspor (2-0), and their only away loss came in a 1-0 reverse at Viktoria.  

In their last league match two weeks ago, Jena drew 2-2 with Bischofswerdaer FV despite leading twice, while last Monday, long-standing head coach Christian Kucharz’s team advanced to the final of the Thuringian Cup with a 6-0 win over VfB Oberweimar. In the final, they will face league rivals 1. FFV Erfurt.

Record

The last time Union and Jena met, in Jena, Union won 3-0, with Sarah Abu Sabbah having put them ahead after 13 minutes before Maria Cristina Lange scored a brace in the final quarter of an hour.   

That was the last of four matches so far played between the sides, with Union having won two alongside two draws.

Personnel

Head coach Ailien Poese will be without eight players on Sunday. Maria Cristina Lange, Pauline Wimmer, Anna Weiß, Nour Youssef, Pia Metzker, Sophie Trojahn, Sarah Hornschuch and Ginger Schulz are all injured while Athanasia Moraitou and Defne Sarioğlu are away with their respective national teams. 

The coach’s views ahead of the game

"After the Easter weekend off, we're looking forward to hosting Jena,” said Union’s head coach, Ailien Poese during the week. “They've had a successful season so far and are always able to pick holes in any defence. They can also defend. We want to counter that with patient play and strong defending in order to keep the next three points in Köpenick," explained Head Coach Ailien Poese ahead of the game.

Service information

Kick off at the Fritz-Lesch-Sportplatz in Dörpfeldstraße is on Sunday at 14:00. Admission is free.