1. FC Union Berlin’s women’s team are taking advantage of the international break by hosting a friendly against the Regionalliga side, FC Viktoria 1889 Berlin. Kick off tomorrow, Wednesday at the Oberspree training centre is at 14:00. Admission is free.

The lie of the land

FC Viktoria 1889 Berlin are currently in the final stages of their preparations for the second half of the Regionalliga Nordost season. The sky-blues have won both of their matches so far this year; the 3-2 victory over Wolfsburg II and a 19-0 against Valletta FC. They also won their first competitive game of the year in the quarter-finals of the Berlin Pokal, beating fellow Regionalliga team Türkiyemspor, 3-1. Viktoria will play their first league game of the calendar year in the rescheduled game at 1. FFC Fortuna Dresden on Sunday.

Union are coming into the game full of confidence after a successful recent run, which saw them beat HSV 2-1 in the second half of the season’s start before Sunday’s brilliant 4-0 home win over league leaders 1. FC Nürnberg.

The opponents

Viktoria ended the first half of the season second in the Regionalliga Nordost here, with they are just three points behind league leaders RasenBallsport Leipzig II with a game in hand. Their only defeat so far came in 3-0 reverse at home to Hertha BSC. With 41 goals scored and only six conceded, they have the third-best attack and the best defence in the league. Kim Urbanek is top scorer with seven goals.

Since January, there has been a new face on the sidelines at the Stadion Lichterfelde where new head coach, Miren Catovic, succeeded Dennis Galleski, who held the position for a year and a half. Catovic was previously head coach of the women's team at FC Ingolstadt for two and a half years, from where she has been joined by Katharina Krist, who was co-captain at the second division club. Their second new signing is goalkeeper, Gina Schüller, from Djurgårdens IF in Sweden.

The reunions

The Viktoria squad contains three former Union players, Nour Youssef, Vanessa Lux and Marta Schrey. All three came through the FCU youth system, with two of them later playing for the senior women's team. Midfielder Schrey played 75 games Union’s red and white, while Youssef transferred to Lichterfelde in the summer having scored 16 goals in 34 games for Union.

The head to head

In recent years the encounters between Union and Viktoria have always succeeded in producing a certain amount of excitement. However, the two clubs have faced each other in 33 games altogether, with the overall record very even. There have been 14 wins each and five draws. Last season, Union won all three games, twice in the league and then in the Berlin Cup final.

The personal

Union head coach Ailien Poese will have to do without Leonie Köster, Tomke Schneider, Marie Becker, Nele Bauereisen, Antonia Halverkamps, Naika Reissner, Sophie Trojahn, Maria Cristina Lange and Katja Orschmann on Wednesday. In addition, Athanasia Moraitou, Eleni Markou, Korina Janez, Fatma Sakar and Ida Heikkinen are each away with their national teams.

The coach’s view on the game:

“We are looking forward to testing ourselves against Viktoria tomorrow and to use some things we’ve picked up upon from the last few days in a competitive game,” said Union’s head coach, Ailien Poese, ahead of the clash. “We expect a compact and combative opponent who, at the end of their mid-season preparations, will certainly want to make a mark again.”

Service information

Wednesday’s game at the Oberspree training centre (Bruno-Bürgel-Weg 63) will kick off at 14:00. Admission is free. For those who cannot be there, Union will provide information about the game on the club's own live ticker, as well as offering updates in English and Spanish on Twitter