U.S. WOMEN ABROAD (May 28-30): Medals for Augustyniaks: Turbine Potsdam whips FFC Frankfurt in German Cup final

• by Soccer America , May 29, 2004

FFC Turbine Potsdam won its first trophy Saturday, dominating FFC Frankfurt, 3-0, in the German WomenÆs Cup final before 30,000 spectators at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

Conny Pohlers, Jennifer Zietz and Anja Mittag scored goals as Turbine pried off FrankfurtÆs five-year hold on the DFB-Pokal Frauen with a dominant showing from start to finish.

It also was the first championship for Americans Nancy and Julie Augustyniak, former Atlanta Beat defenders who were on the losing side in the first and third WUSA Founders Cups.

Nancy Augustyniak started and played until the 87th minute, but Julie Augustyniak was left on the Turbine bench.

Pohlers, who played last season with the Beat, converted a 27th-minute penalty kick, and Zietz and Mittag scored five minutes apart early in the second half in the triumph over TurbineÆs fiercest rival. The East Germans have been runner-up to Frankfurt in the Frauen-Bundesliga the past four seasons and trail by seven points with two weeks remaining this season.

''This means everything to me --- I am feeling pure emotion,'' Turbine coach Bernd Schroeder said. ''WeÆve worked so long for this first title.''

Turbine could have settled the result early. Mittag had two exceptional chances in the first six minutes -- one just off the mark, the other cleared off the line -- and Frankfurt's Dutch goalkeeper Marleen Wissink stopped Petra WimberskyÆs 23rd-minute penalty kick. Wissink also stopped Pohlers 1-on-1 in the 66th minute.

Frankfurt managed just one dangerous chance, a Pia Wunderlich shot in the 60th minute.

''I cannot explain our achievement today,'' Frankfurt coach Monika Staab said. ''It seemed to me as if we had lead in our feet. We could not do anything that we had planned.''

Frankfurt -- featuring former WUSA stars Birgit Prinz, Steffi Jones and Sandra Minnert -- had been unbeaten in its past 39 German Cup matches, but it has struggled as this season winds down. Its league match prior to the cup final was a scoreless draw at home against mid-table SC 07 Bad Neuenahr.

It was the second 3-0 defeat Frankfurt has suffered in a cup final this month. SwedenÆs Umea IK romped in the first leg of the UEFA WomenÆs Cup championship on May 8. The second leg is next weekend in Frankfurt.

Turbine (16-1-1 in league play) would overtake Frankfurt for the league title if it wins its final four Frauen-Bundesliga matches. The teams meet again in the season finale June 13 in Frankfurt.

IN RUSSIA on Friday, FC Energy Voronezh (2-0-1) --- with American defender Jenny Benson --- was held to a 1-1 tie at Nadejda, the first blemish on EnergyÆs record.

FINLAND
* Becky Barritt (FC Honka, D1), at SCR, Sunday.
Season league stats: 1 game, 0 goals.

GERMANY
* Tracey Winzen (VfL Wolfsburg, D1), vs. FCR 2001 Duisburg, 1-1 (Saturday).
DNP.
Season league stats: 8 games, 1 goal.

German Cup, Final
* Julie Augustyniak (FFC Turbine Potsdam, D1) vs. FFC Frankfurt (D1) in Berlin, 3-0 (Saturday).
DNP.
League cup stats: 1 game, 0 goals.

* Nancy Augustyniak (FFC Turbine Potsdam, D1) vs. FFC Frankfurt (D1) in Berlin, 3-0 (Saturday).
Started at left back, played 86 minutes (replaced by Annelie Brendel).
League cup stats: 2 games, 0 goals.

RUSSIA
* Jenny Benson (FC Energy Voronezh, D1), at Nadejda, 1-1 (Friday).
Details unavailable.
Season league stats: 2 games, 0 goals.