The RB Leipzig women’s soccer team kicked off the new Women’s Bundesliga season with a loss. Playing in front of their home crowd, Leipzig fell 0–2 (0–0) to dark horse Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Cornelia Kramer (55th minute) and Maja Sternad (63rd minute) scored for Bayer.
RB goalkeeper Elvira Herzog had an unlucky game. The Swiss national team goalkeeper didn’t look good on either goal. First, a shot by Kramer slipped through her gloves. Then, as she waited on the goal line to collect the ball, Sternad intervened and pushed the ball over the line.
Until the visitors took the lead, the Leipzig women looked quite good following their massive roster shake-up, which included 12 new signings. Although Leverkusen had the better chances early on through former RB player Vanessa Fudalla (13th minute, hit the crossbar) and Kramer (16th minute), the hosts found their rhythm as the game progressed and were able to create a few chances of their own. In the second half, however, it was all Leverkusen, who didn’t concede a shot on goal—except for one by Nikée van Dijk in the 79th minute—and earned a well-deserved victory.
