Grings out but Duisburg still progress

FCR 2001 Duisburg striker Inka Grings faces a race against time to be fit for the UEFA Women's Cup final on 16 and 22 May after being ruled out with a calf muscle injury, but even without her they reached the German Cup final.

Injury
The 30-year-old Grings, the 22-goal leading striker in the Frauen-Bundesliga this season was hurt in training on Thursday, just four days after scoring twice in Duisburg's 3-1 semi-final defeat of Olympique Lyonnais that sealed a 4-2 aggregate win. The injury leaves the Germany forward with little time to recover for the first leg of the final against Zvezda-2005 in Kazan on Saturday 16 May, with the return the following Friday night at the MSV Arena.

Semi-final win
Duisburg showed they could thrive without Grings, however, when they defeated VfL Wolfsburg 3-1 on Sunday to earn a place in the German Cup final against 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam at Berlin's Olympiastadion on 30 May. Femke Maes gave Duisburg a 24th-minute lead and although Shelley Thompson equalised before the break, Marina Hegering made it 2-1 with 20 minutes left and Maes struck again late on. In the league, Duisburg are fourth but only four points behind Potsdam and FC Bayern München and one adrift of 1. FFC Frankfurt. Duisburg have a game in hand on Potsdam and Frankfurt, away to Herforder SV on Wednesday, while Zvezda are yet to start their new domestic season.