The RB Leipzig women's soccer team have secured their place in the Bundesliga ahead of schedule. On the third-last matchday of the season, the Saxons won 1:0 (1:0) at 1. FC Nuremberg on Monday evening. Vanessa Fudalla (35 minutes) gave RB the lead with a safely converted penalty before the break. In front of a crowd of 1,419, the visitors cleverly played their way to the finish in the second half. After the defeat, Nuremberg now only have a theoretical chance of staying in the league.
The Leipzig side moved past SC Freiburg in the table and are now eighth with 23 points. Nuremberg, in second-last place, are already six points behind the first non-relegation place, which is occupied by 1. FC Köln, and have a significantly worse goal difference than the Rhinelanders.
RB started cautiously, initially relying on counterattacks. After just seven minutes, Mimmi Larsson and Marlene Müller had the chance to take the lead on one such occasion, but were denied by Lea Paulick in the Nuremberg goal. Fudalla (24) and Gianna Rackow (26) both went close, while Lydia Andrade (28) stumbled when free. It was Andrade who was fouled by Marina Scholz in the penalty area in the 34th minute; Fudalla converted the resulting penalty to score her ninth goal of the season.
At the other end, Elvira Herzog had a quiet evening apart from the final minutes of the first half, before she was tested by the quick and agile Marlene Bauereisen (39./45.+2).
The hosts also had the greater share of play at the start of the second half. Herzog had to react strongly against Madeleine Steck (53') and Bauereisen (55') had another good chance.
After an hour, RB came back into the game, Larsson (62') tested Paulick and only hit the outside of the net with the follow-up shot. After that, the attacking play flattened out on both sides and the away win was no longer in danger.
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