FC Bayern Women end Bundesliga season unbeaten

FC Bayern Women completed an unbeaten season in the 2023/24 Google Pixel Bundesliga with a 4-1 win away at Hoffenheim on the final day. Carolin Simon’s free-kick put the champions ahead before Fabienne Dongus hit back in the first half. Linda Dallmann then restored the advantage after the break. Pernille Harder and Lea Schüller rounded things off late on.

Three changes

Alexander Straus made three changes to his team from last week’s 4-0 win at home to Nürnberg. Anna Wellmann started in goal for Mala Grohs, while Magdalena Eriksson came on for Linda Sembrant in central defence. Dallmann also got the nod over Jill Bailings. Bayern were without Franziska Kett (muscular), Ana Maria Guzman (knee), Tainara, Alara Sehitler (both ill), Weronika Zawistowska and Cecilia Ran Runarsdottir (both not yet fit after injury).

Klara Bühl also reached a milestone of 150 Bundesliga appearances.

Simon’s free-kick

Bayern were in command from the start and had the first chance through Harder when sent clear by Eriksson’s long ball. The Dane was one-on-one with goalkeeper Laura Dick but disturbed just before she could shoot by Leonie Maier. The opening goal wasn’t long in coming, though, when Simon fired a free-kick low into the left corner from 22 metres with 10 minutes gone. It was the 31-year-old’s first goal in her third game since returning from a cruciate ligament injury.

It was also a free-kick that got Hoffenheim back into the game when Nicole Billa fired the ball into the box and Dongus was able to head in with 21 minutes played. Both teams then more or less cancelled each other out up to half-time.

Dallmann restores lead

The first opportunity after the restart also fell to the Munich ladies when Bühl and Dallmann combined to find Sydney Lohmann, whose shot from the edge of the area was blocked for a corner. Attacks continued towards the Hoffenheim goal and eventually found a way through when Tuva Hansen’s cross from the right was met by Harder. Her header was well saved by Dick, but Dallmann was on the spot to beat the goalkeeper to the rebound. The goalscorer thought she had a second not long after another couple of Dick saves, but it was ruled out for offside.

Harder finally had her goal in the 83rd minute when she tapped in substitute Schüller’s ball to the far post. The latter then added a fourth in added time with a lovely lob over Dick to start the celebrations in the away end and on the touchline.

Balcony appearance on Tuesday

Before the team head off on their summer holidays, fans in Munich will have one more chance to celebrate their champions on Tuesday when they are welcomed to the town hall at 11:30 CEST and captain Glódis Perla Viggósdóttir will present the Meisterschale on the balcony at Marienplatz. The next we’ll see of the Frauen is in July when they return for pre-season.