1. FC Union Berlin's womens' team to 1. FC Köln II, 3-1, in their friendly at the Alte Försterei, played out to cap their 16th annual Womens' football day. Though dominant in the first half, and having taken an early lead through Katja orschmann's superb goal, the 3,200 spectators left disappointed with the result against effective opponents from a league above, if not with the day itself.

1. FC Union Berlin: Wagner (82. Ketzer) - Bach (46. Wildner), K. Orschmann (82. Schulz), Becker (46. Gericke), Bucher (46. Westphal) - Frank (46. Rurack), Trojahn (46. Reissner), Görsdorf (75. Frank) - Reichenbach (46. Youssef), Heiseler (82. Spolaczyk), Krauss (23. D. Orschmann (82. Kratz))

1. FC Köln II: Demiri - Langshausen, Dünchem, Collas, Profé, Arslan, Weber, Schrage, Meißner, Walbeck, Lattus

Goals: 1:0 K. Orschmann (11.), 1:1 Schrage (13.), 1:2 Lattus (24.), 1:3 Collas (88.)

Attendance: 3,200

Katja Orschmann scores the opener, Köln fight back

Although only a friendly, Union started the game as if there was more to this than good will. Indeed, they thought they had taken the lead after just 15 seconds, but Sophie Trojahn was adjudged offside before she scored. Union were faster and had more bite to their game, with more chances to score within the first five minutes, but they found themselves constantly hindered by the performance of Köln keeper, Alma Demiri.

Their lead was coming, and what an opener it was as, after 11 minutes, Katja Orschmann picked up the ball halfway inside the opposition half, turned past two flat-footed opponents as she reached the edge of the box and finished emphatically, bending the ball with her right foot into the top corner.

However, Union's lead did not last long. Only two minutes later the impressive Emma Lattus barged her way down the right hand side, crossing for Sophie Schrage beat Melanie Wagner to make it 1-1. The goal only spurred Union on, but Lina Krauss missed a great chance to make it 2-1 from close range.

Union's posession and pace mattered little when Köln were the more clinical side in front of goal, taking the lead in the 24th minute when Lattus rocketed a rising shot past Wagner into the roof of the net following a neatly concieved corner towards the back post.

An uneventful 2nd half; many changes and a further goal for Köln

The numerous changes made by both sides interrupted the flow of the game in the second half, reducing the spectacle to a battle of midfields. Union's captain Lisa Heiseler broke free twice to run through on the Köln goal, but both times was, somewhat cynically - if necessarily - either held back or tripped. Orschmann put both resulting free kicks just over. Her twin sister, Dina, saw her near post shot saved by Demiri, as Naika Reissner's cross was just missed by Nour Youssef in the penalty area after an hour. At the other end, Melanie Wagner, made two superb stops.

Köln wrapped things up shortly before the final whistle. A shot from the edge of the penalty area was saved by Wagner's replacement, Laura Ketzer, but Daria Collas put the rebound away with only two minutes left to play.

Although Union were ultimately defeated, the match was nevertheless another highlight of the season in front of more than 3,000 spectators, as the appearance near the end of both of Elisa Spolaczyk and Hannah Kratz, who returned to the pitch after a lengthy injury lay-off, gave good reason for cheer among the Union faithful spread across the Waldseite and main stand.

The coach's views on the game

"Of course it's a bit of a shame that we lost today. Nevertheless, we played a good game against a second division team and were courageous going forwards, especially in the first half," said Union's head coach Ailien Poese after the final whistle. "Unfortunately, we didn't manage to score more goals despite numerous opportunities. Köln, on the other hand, were very effective today, and we are very proud to have played in front of such a crowd".

Looking forwards

Union's women return to Regionalliga action next Sunday, 7 May 2023, away at FC Carl Zeiss Jena II, with the Thuringians currently in 6th place in the table. The match kicks off at 14:00 on the artificial pitch of the Uni-Sportzentrum in Jena.