VfL Wolfsburg’s women’s football team kept their UEFA Champions League quarter-final hopes alive with a commanding 5-0 victory over Galatasaray Istanbul in their 100th Champions League match. In front of 2,536 fans at the AOK Stadium, former DFB captain Alexandra Popp delivered a masterful performance, scoring a hat-trick (3rd, 15th, and 88th minutes) and providing assists for Janina Minge (31st) and Lena Lattwein (90+6).
Wolfsburg became only the third team, after Olympique Lyon and Arsenal, to reach the 100-match milestone in Europe. The victory was their second in the group stage, building on their earlier 5-0 triumph in Istanbul.
Popp wasted no time asserting her dominance, scoring twice early and later adding a stunning long-range strike from 18 meters just before halftime. Her contributions ensured Wolfsburg controlled the match from the outset. Despite the Turkish side’s efforts, Galatasaray struggled to contend with Wolfsburg’s relentless attack, which maintained its intensity throughout the game.
In the second half, Wolfsburg continued to dictate play, but a combination of missed chances and an impressive display from Galatasaray goalkeeper Gamze Yaman prevented the scoreline from becoming even more lopsided.
This emphatic win was particularly significant for Wolfsburg, who had faced a challenging start to their Champions League campaign with losses to Lyon (0-2) and Roma (0-1). Coach Tommy Stroot’s team needed this result to stay in contention for the knockout stages, and their dominant display against Galatasaray highlighted their potential to progress further in the competition.
