FC Bayern Women victorious in final home game of season

Newly crowned champions FC Bayern Women provided a party atmosphere at the FC Bayern Campus as they beat Nürnberg 4-0 in their final home game of the Google Pixel Bundesliga season on Sunday afternoon. Pernille Harder’s hat-trick inside the first 18 minutes did the job before Lea Schüller added a fourth late on for Bayern, who stretch their unbeaten run at home to 29 games.

Goodbyes to Wenninger, Nayler and Volz

Ahead of kick-off, Bayern said goodbye to record appearance holder Carina Wenninger, goalkeeper Erin Nayler and assistant coach Moritz Volz. Wenninger left the club in summer 2022 but was now given an official send-off.

Simon’s first start since injury

Head coach Alexander Straus made five changes from the 2-0 loss to Wolfsburg in the DFB Cup final on Thursday. Carolin Simon made her first start since recovering from her cruciate ligament injury in place of Katharina Naschenweng. Tuva Hansen, Linda Sembrant, Jill Baijings and Sydney Lohmann also came into the side for Giulia Gwinn, Magdalena Eriksson, Jovana Damnjanovic and Schüller, who all dropped to the bench.

Bayern went into their final home game of the year without Franziska Kett (muscular), Ana Maria Guzman (knee), Linda Dallmann, Tainara and Alara Sehitler (all ill), as well as Weronika Zawistowska and Cecilia Ran Runarsdottir after both returned to training after their injuries but were not yet fit.

Harder’s first-half hat-trick

Bayern – and Harder in particular – made it clear from the start at the sold-out Campus that this was going to be a day of celebration. The Dane needed only five minutes to net the first goal when running onto a pass in behind from captain Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir. She had her second on 13 minutes when tapping in Klara Bühl’s square ball just a couple of yards out.

But the champions were not done there, and Harder completed her hat-trick inside only 18 minutes when Bühl again put the ball into the middle for the Danish striker to head in at the far post. Jill Baijings came close to adding a fourth with a shot on the spin but was denied by a good save from the diving Lea Paulick. The Munich ladies continued to dominate and left their fellow Bavarians chasing shadows in the first half.

Flawless second half

The hosts picked up where they left off after the break. Harder turned provider to Lohmann, but the midfielder was denied by the post. Chances remained at a premium after that until the 78th minute when substitute Schüler nodded in a free-kick from Baijings. Shortly before the end, the departing Nayler was introduced for her farewell in place of Mala Grohs.

Final game at Hoffenheim

The champions now close out their successful title defence with a game away at Hoffenheim. Kick-off at the Dietmar-Hopp-Stadion on Monday, 20 May is at 3.30pm CEST. Bayern will then be presented with the Meisterschale after the match.