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Alexandra Popp on the ball
Photo: IMAGO/Darius Simka / IMAGO/regios24
Alexandra Popp (31) celebrated her comeback in the women's Bundesliga after a forced break of more than ten months.
With DFB captain Popp in the starting XI, runners-up VfL Wolfsburg defeated SC Freiburg 4-1 (1-0) and took the lead with 35 points ahead of Bayern Munich (34).
However, the defending champion can catch up against newly promoted 1. FC Köln in the afternoon.
Popp had not played a competitive game since April 25, 2021 due to a cartilage injury in his knee and subsequent two operations.
A first comeback attempt in January failed because the knee swelled again after a friendly.
Popp then had to undergo surgery again, which cost her more weeks.
Against Freiburg it was enough for at least half time.
"I feel very good now after the game, I'm also proud of myself that after many, many days I made it back onto the pitch," said the 30-year-old at MagentaSport.
Dominique Janssen (15th, hand penalty), Pauline Bremer (48th), Rebecka Blomqvist (51st) and Tabea Waßmuth (59th) scored for Wolfsburg, for returnee Popp it was over after the first half "as agreed to control the load".
Hasret Kayikci (79th) scored the goal for SC Freiburg.
Eintracht Frankfurt clinched an important win in the fight for the Champions League spots with a 3-2 (0-1) win over TSG Hoffenheim the day before.
Substitute Anna Aehling (86th) scored the winning goal on her Bundesliga debut, Eintracht drew level on points with third-placed TSG (31).
In the relegation battle, SC Sand recorded its first win of the season with a 4:1 (2:0) win at direct competitor Carl Zeiss Jena.
VfL star Alexandra Popp is now hoping to build up form quickly in the coming weeks.
The Wolfsburg women are still represented in the DFB Cup and Champions League.
With the national team, she wants to be the captain for the European Championships in the summer.
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