Winner Takes Second: Rot-Weiss Köln v Düsseldorfer HC Closes the German Women’s Matchday

Sunday’s German women’s matchday ends with a proper West derby. Rot-Weiss Köln host Düsseldorfer HC at the REWE Sportpark at 12:00 CEST (3:00pm PKT), and the league’s own weekend preview puts it plainly: the winner finishes the weekend second.

It’s also a farewell of sorts. Köln’s club site bills this as their women’s first team’s last home field game of the year, so expect a crowd that knows what it’s watching. Köln have been right in the mix all season, and they come into this one having already beaten Club an der Alster 2-0 and taken points in shoot-outs against Harvestehuder and Großflottbek. Düsseldorf arrive as defending champions, and they don’t give games away cheaply.

This is also the first time the two sides meet in the league this season, which adds a little edge. No recent head-to-head to lean on, no form guide from an earlier meeting. Just two heavyweights, a home crowd saying goodbye to the field season, and second place on the line.

For our money, Köln’s home advantage matters here. Last home game of the year, a derby, second place at stake — that’s the kind of afternoon that lifts a team. But writing off the champions is never smart. If Düsseldorf’s big-game players show up, this one goes to the wire.

Related: Polo Go Top as the Bundesliga Serves Up Derby Weekend: Köln v Uhlenhorst Tonight, Alster v Polo Saturday, Friday Night Lights in Köln: Rot-Weiss Host Uhlenhorst Mülheim in Last Home Game of the Field Season, Saturday’s Hockey, Sorted: A Johor Cup Final, the Bundesliga’s Game of the Season and Six Games in England, Live Centre.