The women's team of 1. FC Union Berlin will host SFC Stern 1900 in the semi-finals of the Polytan Cup on Thursday, 18.04.2024. Kick off at the Oberspree training center is at 19:30

The opponents

In SFC Stern 1900, Union's women's team will face one of last year's Polytan Cup finalists on Thursday evening. After victories over SC Charlottenburg, Moabiter FSV, Berolina Mitte and Borussia Pankow, the club from Steglitz reached the final against Viktoria Berlin, where they lost  2-0 at Volkspark Mariendorf. Nevertheless, the team's success in reaching the final entitled the team to participate in the DFB Pokal this season.

But at the same time this success story was being played out, their fortunes went the other way as Stern had to bid farewell to the Regionalliga Nordost after six years. Due to the downsizing of the league from 14 to 12 teams, five teams were relegated to the Verbandsliga last season, meaning that, despite finishing in tenth, the yellow-blues had to drop down to the fourth division.

There, Stern are currently sitting in fifth place with 54 points from 24 games,  already 14 points behind Union's own table-topping, unbeaten U23's. It was they, however, who took the first points of Union when, on matchday 3, the two teams drew 1-1.

Despite last weekend's 5-2 away win at Viktoria II their Berlin-Liga campaign is going somewhat below expectations, and head coach Marco Böning stepped down at the end of January after two and a half years in charge. The reason he gave was that the chemistry between him and the team was no longer working. Roman Rießler has been the new coach for a week now (goalkeeping coach Frank Neumann stood on the touchline on an interim basis in February and March.) Rießler was previously head coach of Stern's men's team for almost two years before stepping down at the beginning of April due to a lack of success and subsequently taking over the women's team.

While Stern have struggled somewhat in the league this season, the club's successes in the cup competitions can not be overestimated, especially in reaching the second round of the DFB Pokal for the first time in their history. After a 1-0 victory in the 1st main round against SV Grün-Weiss Brieselang, Stern faced 1. FC Köln in the 2nd round, though they lost 10-0. They have repeated their good run of form in the Polytan Cup, reaching this semi-final with victories over SC Charlottenburg (7-1) and SV Askania Coepenick (8-1), before a 1-0 win over 1. FC Schöneberg in the quarter-finals, thanks to a 79th minute winner. 

The head to head

Union's first team are unbeaten against SFC Stern 1900, having won nine of ten encounters. Only the first ever clash between sides in the summer of 2017 ended in a draw.

Union won both Regionalliga matches last season, winning 8-0 at Dörpfeldstraße and 4-0 in Steglitz. 

The personnel

Head coach Ailien Poese will be without five players on Thursday, Maria Cristina Lange, Pauline Wimmer, Anna Weiß, Pia Metzker and Sarah Hornschuch.

The coach's views before the game

"Cup games are always a highlight," said Poese ahead of Thursday's encounter. "Playing under floodlights against a team that are sure to play well defensively is something to look forward to. We want to take a few things from the last game to improve our possession, and ultimately make it to the final. We're well aware that it won't be an easy task, but of course we're the favourites." 

Service information

Kick off at the Oberspree training center on Bruno-Bürgel-Weg on Thursday at 19:30. Admission is free.