Following on from 1. FC Union's women's team's season start four weeks ago, it's time for the cup competitions to begin in earnest. Tomorrow, 22 September 2022, Union are guests of the Verbandsligisten Borussia Pankow in the 1st main round of the Polytan Cup. Kick-off on the artificial pitch at Pichelswerderstraße 7 is at 19:30 pm.

What is the Berlin Pokal?

The Berlin Cup - officially the Polytan Cup - is organised by the BFV, the Berlin Football Association with 32 teams from the German capital taking part in the 1st round proper. The winner of the competition receives the right to play in the national DFB Cup in the following season. The current holders are Türkiyemspor Berlin, who won last year's final 2-0 against Viktoria Berlin.

Union failed to reach the round of 16 last season, losing against the eventual winners when they were beaten 2-1 away in Kreuzberg. However, Union have already brought the cup home to Köpenick five times, most recently in 2018/19, when they defeated Viktoria Berlin 3-2 in the final.

The Opponents: 

There will be many Unioner, especially those who also follow the U-23 women's team, who are probably well aware of Borussia Pankow. After all, the team from northern Berlin have been playing in the fourth-tier Berlin-Liga together with Union's second team since 2015/16.

Pankow have meanwhile established themselves in the upper echelons of the table and last season, were only a hair's breadth away from being promoted to the Regionalliga for the first time, finishing in 3rd place. Although Union's U-23 team won the league, they could not be promoted because the first and second teams are not allowed to play in the same league, so that Hertha 03 Zehlendorf ultimately benefited as runners-up.

It was only last Saturday that Union's U-23's and Borussia Pankow last met in league play at Hämmerlingstraße, Union managing to equalise for 1-1 in time added on. Alina Janowitz, who wore the red and white of Union from 2014 to 2017, was an old acquaintance on the pitch.

All in all, however, the second team of Union have a clear advantage in the head-to-headccomparison. Winning 17 out of 21 encounters. Pankow have only come away victorious three times.

But the last encounter between the first women's team and Borussia Pankow was not that far back. It was only last season that the two teams met, also in the 1st main round of the Berlin Cup. Elisa Spolaczyk in particular, who scored four goals, will have fond memories of that match about a year ago. Another cup encounter in March 2018, when the teams faced each other in the quarter-finals, the Union ladies even won 8:0.

The coach's view of the match

Despite the difference in class, Union's head coach Ailien Poese warned of the upcoming task. "Borussia Pankow showed against our second team at the weekend how passionately they can defend, and then counterattack at lightning speed when the opportunity arises. We are preparing for an opponent who can close the spaces well on the narrow pitch and will be difficult to play against."

Full-back Luise Wildner will not be available on Thursday. In addition, Luca Scheel, Hannah Kratz and Megan Reichenbach are still questionable.