Wolfsburg celebrates its first win of the season against Jena – fans cheer!

Wolfsburg celebrates its first win of the season against Jena – fans cheer!

After a turbulent start to the season with mixed results, the She Wolves of VfL Wolfsburg finally have a reason to celebrate again on September 14th, 2025: In the first home game of the Bundesliga season, they defeated Carl Zeiss Jena 3-1 (1-0). This important match took place as part of the club's 80th birthday, which 3,420 euphoric fans celebrated with anniversary jerseys, choreography and live music. The only downside was the knocks against the team in previous games, such as the 4-2 Supercup loss to Bayern and a disappointing season-opening 3-3 draw against HSV.

The first 45 minutes of the game were characterized by a dominant Wolves performance, but despite numerous chances, especially Alexandra Popp's two aluminum goals, it remained exciting for a long time. Janina Minge gave the team the lead in the 42nd minute after a cross from Kjelland, which boosted the Wolves' morale. Jena's goalkeeper Hannah Etzold was too far in front of the line, which made the goal easier.

Weaknesses and strengths during the game

In the second half, the guests equalized in the 56th minute through Isabella Jaron to make it 1-1, which initially caused unrest among the Wolfsburg team. Many thought that one of these frustrating encounters could happen again. But the Wolves showed determination: Cora Zicai made it 2-1 in the 82nd minute after her shot was deflected. In the final phase, Lineth Beerensteyn made the decision by striking ice-coldly after a Jena back pass and finally deciding the game.

Wolfsburg was able to celebrate its first win of the season and concentrate on positive aspects, although the team had previously suffered some setbacks. The concerns about the playing strength after the coaching extension of Tommy Stroot, who signed until 2027 after initial hesitation, appear to have partially subsided. The contract extensions of key players such as Lena Lattwein and captain Alexandra Popp also give optimistic signals from the squad.

A look at the season

The 2024/25 season was a roller coaster ride of emotions for the Wolfsburg women. The tendency towards the unknown was reinforced by the early elimination in the DFB Cup and the bitter defeats in the Champions League, such as the 2:10 against FC Barcelona. But despite these challenges, the team showed, among other things, with the impressive 6-1 win against Eintracht Frankfurt that they are able to fight back and build on their own strengths. Lineth Beerensteyn emerged as one of the key players and showed why she was signed by Juventus.

The current season promises to be exciting, especially with the change in tactics that makes the team more flexible. Janina Minge has an important role to play here as she can be used in both defensive midfield and central defense. In addition, with the second-best defense in the league, the Wolves have a solid foundation on which to build. The competition in the Bundesliga has to warm up, because Wolfsburg is willing to clarify the questions of last year and move back into the top ranks.

How the journey will continue this season and whether Wolfsburg can master the challenges in the Champions League remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure: these girls are hungry for more!