WOLFSBURG, Germany (Interstat) — Lineth Beerensteyn scored twice to lead VfL Wolfsburg to a 2-1 victory over Koeln W on Monday in the Frauen-Bundesliga season opener for both clubs.

The match, played before a crowd at AOK Stadion, saw the home side assert its dominance early but fail to put the game fully out of reach, ultimately holding on for a narrow win that fell short of pregame projections.

Beerensteyn needed only four minutes to open the scoring, firing Wolfsburg into an immediate lead. The early goal set the tone for a first half largely controlled by the hosts. The advantage was doubled in the 22nd minute when defender Sarai Linder found the net, assisted by fellow defender Sophia Kleinherne.

Despite the two-goal deficit, the visiting Koeln W side stabilized and began to build momentum. Their persistence was rewarded in the 68th minute when a Wolfsburg turnover led to a quick counterattack. Substitute Martyna Wiankowska delivered the assist for Beerensteyn, who completed her brace to seemingly restore a comfortable two-goal cushion at 2-0.

Koeln W, however, refused to capitulate. Just minutes after Beerensteyn’s second goal, they pulled one back. In the 71st minute, a defensive miscue from Wolfsburg was pounced upon, with the own goal credited to Wolfsburg’s defense, cutting the deficit to 2-1 and setting up a tense final period.

The closing stages grew increasingly fractious. In quick succession in the 86th and 87th minutes, Wolfsburg’s Martyna Wiankowska and Sophia Kleinherne were each shown yellow cards as the home team worked to disrupt Koeln W’s rhythm and protect its slim lead. Koeln W pressed for an equalizer in stoppage time, but the Wolfsburg defense, organized after the earlier error, managed to see out the victory.

The result gives VfL Wolfsburg a winning start to both its Frauen-Bundesliga campaign and the overall season, moving to 1-0. Koeln W begins its season 0-1 in league play. The final score proved tighter than anticipated by statistical models. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 4-1 Wolfsburg win, and its ELO system gave the home side a 66.1% probability of victory.

Beerensteyn’s offensive output, combined with key contributions from defenders Linder and Kleinherne, provided the foundation for the win. The performance, while successful, highlighted areas for improvement for Wolfsburg, which will look to convert its possession and chances more efficiently in future matches after allowing a resilient Koeln W side to remain in contention until the final whistle.