FC Bayern Women get first away win of Bundesliga season

FC Bayern Women got their first away win of the 2023/24 Google Pixel Bundesliga season thanks to a comfortable 2-0 victory at Essen. Pernille Harder put Alexander Straus’s side ahead on 13 minutes at the Stadion an der Hafenstraße before Lea Schüller wrapped things up 11 minutes later.

Straus: “Had to be clinical”

“We did very well today. Our play was far more controlled than in the last year,” said Straus. “Essen are always well organised and made things tough for us today. There weren’t many chances, so we had to be clinical. We knew we’d have a lot of possession and control the game. However, we couldn’t allow any mistakes, otherwise Essen could’ve been dangerous. We saw in their first game against Frankfurt how clinically they can take their chances.”

One change

Straus made just one change to his starting XI from the team that beat Köln 2-0 on Monday as Klara Bühl came in for Lina Magull. Bayern were also without Sydney Lohmann after she suffered an ankle injury in that game. Long-term absentees Carolin Simon, Weronika Zawistowska (both cruciate ligament) and Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir (dislocated patella) remained on the sidelines.

Harder and Schüller give first-half lead

Bayern were in control from the start and put the home defence under pressure early on. The first chance came after only seven minutes, but a teasing cross from Katharina Naschenweng found no takers in the box. The lead did come just six minutes after, though, when Georgia Stanway sent Schüller away in behind. The 25-year-old then put the ball into the middle for Harder to turn home. The goalscorer had to go off injured after 17 minutes, however.

Die Frauen continued to push hard and got a second goal with just 24 minutes on the clock when Bühl’s chip into the box from the left was headed in by the unmarked Schüller. Essen goalkeeper Sophia Winkler was almost beaten for a third time before the break, but she made an excellent stop to deny Schüller a brace from a Giulia Gwinn cross.

Commanding second half

Straus’s team continued where they left off after the break as they maintained their dominance. Gwinn and Schüller once again combined, this time from a corner, but again Winkler saved at the far post. FCB’s next opportunity came from substitute Franziska Kett on the hour mark when the 18-year-old got past Jacqueline Meissner on the edge of the box before a sliding challenge halted the promising attack.

The Bundesliga champions almost got a third in the 73rd minute when Stanway played in Naschenweng and the Austrian found Magull in space in the box, but the delivery was cut out at the final second by Maike Berentzen. It remained 2-0 as Bayern made it two wins and seven points from three in the league this season.

Bundesliga debut at the Allianz Arena

Bayern’s next game sees them welcome Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, 14 October (18:00 CEST) for the first Women’s Bundesliga fixture at the Allianz Arena. Straus and his team then go to promoted RB Leipzig the following Sunday, 22 October (18:30).

Get tickets for the Frankfurt game at the Allianz Arena here: