FC Bayern Women go top overnight with win over Duisburg

FC Bayern Women went top of the FLYERALARM Bundesliga table with a commanding 4-0 win at home to Duisburg on Friday evening. Sydney Lohmann got things going on 19 minutes at the FC Bayern Campus, before Lea Schüller, Lina Magull and Georgia Stanway added further goals in the second half as FCB made it nine league victories in a row.

The win takes Bayern onto 37 points and top of the table above Wolfsburg on 36. They go to Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday and have the chance to return to the summit.

Benkarth and Magull start

Head coach Alexander Straus made three changes to his team from last weekend’s 2-0 win away at Werder Bremen. Laura Benkarth started in goal in place of Maria Luisa Grohs, who was out ill. Captain Magull and Lohmann also came in for Carolin Simon (muscular) and Franziska Kett. Linda Dallmann and Giulia Gwinn remain absent with ankle and knee injuries respectively.

Dominant first half

The home side started well and pushed their opponent back deep in their own half. Sarah Zadrazil posed the first threat to Ena Mahmutovic’s goal in the 10th minute, but her deflected shot hit the outside of the post. The Duisburg goalkeeper then made a good save from Glodis Perla Viggosdottir at the ensuing corner. The ball was in the back of the net nine minutes later, however, when Maximiliane Rall’s cross into the box wasn’t dealt with by the visiting defence, allowing Lohmann to put it away. Die Frauen continued to push for a second goal and Magull curled a free-kick onto the crossbar from 20 yards out with half an hour gone as it remained 1-0 going into the break.

Impressive second half

The second half continued the pattern of the first as Bayern carved out further chances. Magull had another attempt moments after the restart but was denied by Mahmutovic. There was then no mistake from Schüller on the hour mark when Bayern’s top scorer forced a Klara Bühl free-kick over the line at the far post. It was the striker’s 60th goal in FCB colours. Magull then had the reward for her efforts just two minutes later when she smashed home Zadrazil’s through ball. The three points were then in the bag when Stanway converted a penalty awarded for handball in the 71st minute.

Köln and Arsenal to come

Bayern are back in action next weekend when they go to Köln in the Bundesliga on Saturday, 18 March (1pm CET). Three days later Die Frauen host Arsenal at the Allianz Arena (tickets available here) in the UEFA Women’s Champions League (18:45 CET on Tuesday, 21 March).