On Sunday, the women's team of 1. FC Union Berlin will face SV Meppen in the 9th matchday of the 2. Bundesliga. Kick off at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei is at 14:00.

The lie of the land

SV Meppen went into the recent international break two weeks ago buoyed after their 5-1 win over FSV Gütersloh 2009, making them unbeaten in four league games.

At the same time, however, Union's own performance was even more emphatic when they beat FC Ingolstadt away 5-0. Union particularly demonstrated their strength on set-pieces, scoring three goals from corners. With 17 points from eight games, they currently sit in third place.

The opponents

It's been a rollercoaster. In the past five seasons, SV Meppen have experienced two promotions and two relegations. After the club reached the top flight for the first time in ten years in 2020, they were immediately relegated a year later. Just one season later, they were promoted again, but were immediately relegated again in 2023. Last season, SV Meppen narrowly missed out on their fifth league change in five years when they finished third, just one point behind FC Carl Zeiss Jena, who took the second promotion place.

After narrowly missing out on promotion, SV lost a number of key players over the summer. Centre-back Toma Ihlenburg, the club's top scorer last season with nine goals, joined Carl Zeiss Jena, while regulars Noreen Günnewig and Kornelia Grosicka also left the club for Bundesliga sides, Freiburg and Turbine Potsdam, respectively. Centre forward Vildan Kardesler, who was joint second top scorer last season with Grosicka (they scored seven goals each), moved to 2. Liga rivals Hamburger SV. Alongside them, first-choice goalkeeper Laura Sieger transferred to Austrian Bundesliga side SKN St. Pölten and toughest of all, the club's captain and player with the most ever appearances, Sarah Schulte, ended her career after 13 years and 297 competitive matches for SV Meppen. Overall, the players who left Meppen in the summer scored 29 of the club's 46 second division goals last season.

As if the departures on the pitch were not enough, there was also a change on the bench. Head coach Carin Bakhuis left the club after two years to become assistant coach at record champions VfL Wolfsburg. She was replaced by Thomas Pfannkuch, who had previously worked as an assistant coach for the German U20 women's national team.

Despite the personnel changes, the 54-year-old can look back on a successful start to the season. After seven games, Meppen are in 5th place with 11 points and still have a game in hand against newly promoted SC Freiburg II.

The head to head

In the 2014/15 and 2016/17 seasons, both clubs were in the 2. Bundesliga Nord. Meppen managed to win all of them, although Union managed to score two goals in three of the four matches.

The personnel

Union's head coach Ailien Poese will continue to be without Maria Cristina Lange, Katja Orschmann and Sarah Abu Sabbah on Sunday. Sophie Trojahn and Ginger Schulz are also unavailable.

The reunion

Athanasia Moraitou and Sarah Abu Sabbah moved from SV Meppen to Berlin-Köpenick in the summer of 2023. Moraitou played 55 competitive games for Meppen in two and a half years, while Abu Sabbah played for a year in Emsland, making nine appearances.

The coach's views ahead of the game

"We are facing a top team in the league against Meppen, who have been able to pick up a lot of points in recent games thanks to their aggressive defensive play and quick transitions," said Union's head coach, Ailien Poese, herself returning from two weeks on her sick bed. "It is therefore important for us to defend consistently and passionately, to enter certain phases of the game with the necessary solutions and to use our possession well and consistently." 

Service information

The Stadion An der Alten Försterei and the ticket office will open at 12:30. On Sunday, ticket office areas 1 and 2 will be open. Tickets for the game are also available online and at all Union Zeughaus stores. To avoid queues at the entrances, please arrive in good time.

The game will be broadcast live on AFTV+. There will also be a live ticker for the game, as well as full updates in English on twitter.