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Sunday’s Freiburg/Frankfurt clash kicked off through a heavy layer of mist and fog. The dreary weather conditions would sum up Frankfurt’s afternoon.

Freiburg pulled off the shock of the 2011-12 Frauen-Bundesliga season by securing a 1-0 win against the then league leaders. It was just the third time Freiburg claimed victory against Frankfurt in 15 total meetings. Most impressive, the newly promoted side denied Frankfurt a clean sheet in a losing effort in league play for the just the seventh time since the 2004-05 season (that’s out of 162 total matches, folks).

Frankfurt head coach Sven Kahlvert made four changes to the side that handily beat PSG last Wednesday. Most notably, he made two major changes to his backline. Ali Krieger and Saskia Bartusiak were dropped in favor of Ria Percivel and Gina Lewandowski. It appeared Kahlvert thought it best to rest the defensive duo ahead of Frankfurt’s marquee match against Turbine Potsdam this coming Sunday. Perhaps he assumed that game would feature two unbeaten sides, as it customarily does this time of the season. After all, Freiburg came into Sunday’s match in streaky form having lost four of its last seven matches. Three of those four losses ended in shutouts.

As the final whistle blew, it became clear that Kahlvert had committed a grave mistake.

Disastrous defensive marking on a set piece led to Kerstin Boschert’s 89th minute goal. With time rapidly running out in the scoreless affair, Freiburg were awarded a free kick on the edge of the penalty area. Frankfurt’s defense failed to trail Boschert who slipped in at the far post and poked the ball past Nadine Angerer.

Unlike Frankfurt, Freiburg didn’t exactly generate a multitude of goal-scoring opportunities. Freiburg’s brightest chance of the match came when the dynamic (and well-coiffed) young French striker Marina Makanza rampaged past four Frankfurt players in midfield and served a delicious ball into the feet of Melanie Leupolz. Japanese center-back Saki Kumagai was well beaten on the play, but Angerer darted off her line to pounce on Leupolz’s attempt in the nick of time.

Frankfurt chucked away its best chance of the game in the second half. Melanie Behringer (who had been the subject of rough treatment against PSG) was toppled inside the box. The referee duly signaled for a penalty. Freiburg goalkeeper Marisa Brunner guessed correctly and ably swatted away Behringer’s penalty kick.

Frankfurt’s attack appeared disjointed and ineffective for the majority of the match. Wasted chances have troubled Frankfurt for much of the season. This time the team was forced to pay a heavy price for its profligacy. Lira Bajramaj shanked several shots in what was another frustrating outing for the team’s star signing.

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p>Once the match came to a close, Freiburg’s players proceeded to celebrate as if they had just captured Champions League glory. And why not? The home side maintained its composure and did what was needed to secure three points. In doing so, they may have changed the complexion of this year’s title race. (Full match.)

If Boschert hadn’t managed to deceive the Frankfurt defense for her goal, the weekend would surely be remembered for Bad Neuenahr’s 2-0 stunning upset against Duisburg. In some respects, the result is even more improbable that the one that occurred three and a half hours down the road in Freiburg.

Bad Neuenahr started the season in atrocious form after former head coach Thomas Obliers parted ways with the club. The team’s star striker Celia da Mabbi Okoyino spent much of the beginning of the season battling injury. Going into this match, Bad Neuenahr remained the only team in the league without a win. A 3-1 victory (complete with a da Mbabi hat-trick) against second division side Hoffenheim in the DFB-Pokal Cup last weekend suggested the ship was finally beginning to right itself.

Still, there was no indication that a victory over one of the league’s strongest sides would be on the horizon for Bad Neuenahr. History was very much in Duisburg side. Bad Neuenahr were winless in 16 total matches against the Lionesses and had scored just one goal to Duisburg’s 45.

Duisburg were made to rue two lost opportunities early on in the first half. Simone Laudehr’s knuckling effort strayed just wide of the far post. Alexandra Popp (fresh from a six-goal performance in the DFB-Pokal Cup the previous weekend) tried her luck from range but her shot thwacked off the crossbar.

The 0-0 halftime score line gave Bad Neuenahr the confidence needed to press on. At last, the home side broke through. In the 79th minute, Sarah Gregorious headed home a cross that bore a striking resemblance to her goal against Japan in New Zealand’s first match in the World Cup. Eight minutes later, Gregorious put the match on ice with a hard hit shot from close range.

The upset prevented Duisburg from taking sole possession of second place. Perhaps more importantly, it catapulted Bad Neuenahr out of the drop zone for the first time all season.

The team’s defense held up well on Sunday. Maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise either, as the team now has the sixth best defensive record in the league. Paired with that defense, if the team can start finding the back of the net on a consistent basis, Bad Neuenahr may have officially turned the corner. (Highlights start at 5:50.)

As it turns out, the hijinks at the top of the Frauen-Bundesliga table was only confined to Frankfurt and Duisburg. Turbine Potsdam reclaimed first place with a demonstrative 4-0 win away to Bayern Munich. (Highlights.)

Potsdam couldn’t find many openings in the early going. Bianca Schmidt finally broke through in the 25th minute with her second goal in five days. The game then followed the script that’s been observed in most Turbine Potsdam matches this season. Genoveva Anonma stole the show by reprising her starring role. Anonma’s trio of goals were all low, driving efforts delivered from within the penalty area. The profitable striker piled on to her already voluminous goal record with yet another hat-trick. She’s now scored a remarkable 18 goals in 13 total games. Also, Alyssa Naeher recorded her fourth consecutive clean sheet of the season.

Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen continues to languish at the bottom end of the table. Wolfsburg did little to help Bayer’s chances of survival at the weekend. The Wolves stormed out with a 5-1 victory which puts Bayer Leverkusen dead last in the league.

Essen-Schönebeck shared the spoils with a rapidly improving Hamburg side in a 1-1 draw. Sabrina Dorpinghaus struck first for the home side before Hamburg equalized 13 minutes later. Hamburg now sits in seventh place while Essen remains in a very respectable position in fifth.

And thanks to Bad Neuenahr’s shock win against Duisburg, USV Jena slides back into the drop zone. The league’s other promoted side Lokomotive Leipzig scored only its second win of the season on the weekend. On Sunday, Leipzig slipped past Jena 1-0 in an East Germany derby. After claiming its first win of the season in late September, Jena has failed to find a win in its four subsequent matches. (Highlights.)

Feminine Division

Jusivy remains atop the Feminine Division after shutting out PSG 1-0. Lyon aren’t far behind as they put seven goals past Rodez. Predictably, Lotta Schelin had a hand (err, foot) in the win. She leads the league in goals with eleven and has scored 13 goals in 10 total appearances.

It doesn’t appear PSG has recovered from the loss away to Frankfurt this past week. Last year’s runners-up are now winless in four matches. This weekend’s loss sees them remain in fourth, but they’re now six points behind third place Montpellier.

Montpellier are now just two points off the pace after securing a 4-0 win at home to Saint-Etienne.

UEFA Women’s Champions League

The second leg of the Round of 16 matches will occur over these next two days. You’ll remember that Turbine Potsdam, Lyon, Rossiyanka, and Malmö are all but through. Frankfurt are almost across the line as well and must protect a 3-0 score line away against PSG. (Incidentally, PSG and Frankfurt are the only two sides that will take part in this week’s Champions League games after having lost a league match at the weekend.)

Super striker Lise Munk has nearly assured Brondby’s place in the quarterfinals. The Danish side has a 3-2 advantage against Torres. Gothenborg are also sitting pretty as they scored a 1-0 away win against Fortuna Hjorring last week.

Rayo Vallecano and Arsenal played to the only draw in the first leg. The 1-1 result means both sides have everything to play for as Rayo travel to London. Is another dramatic return leg in the cards?

Lastly, Glasgow City (who Turbine Potsdam turned over 10-0) wrapped up the Scottish Women’s Premier League title this weekend. They scored 83 more goals than league runners-ups Spartans. The men’s Scottish Premier League may be a duopoly, but at least it has two strong sides…

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