FCB Women make winning start to the year with victory at RB

FC Bayern Women won their opening competitive match of 2025 and celebrated a fourth consecutive victory! Alexander Straus' side secured a 1-0 success at RB Leipzig on Sunday evening on Matchday 13 in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga. Magdalena Eriksson netted the only goal of the day in the 11th minute. The three points move the Munich girls onto 32 points, level again with Eintracht Frankfurt, who top the table thanks to a better goal difference. 

Gwinn: 'It's down to us in the end'

"Leipzig are a team who can make it difficult for any opponent," said Giulia Gwinn. "Nevertheless, I think it's down to us in the end what we make of our chances. Especially in the first half, we had the game completely under control but failed to score the second and third, which keeps the game open. We have ourselves to blame for that."

#WeRemember: Joint sign

Before the match kicked off, the two teams sent out an important signal together. To mark Holocaust Remembrance Day on 27 January, RB Leipzig and FC Bayern Women displayed a banner commemorating the crimes of National Socialism and stood together against all forms of discrimination and exclusion. 

Long injury list

The German champions were missing a total of seven players for the first match of the year. Lena Oberdorf (knee ligaments), Katharina Naschenweng (knee joint), Georgia Stanway (knee ligament), Sarah Zadrazil (hamstring strain), Magou Doucouré (fitness) and Maria Luisa Grohs, who is building up match practice with the reserve team after her return to training, were all unavailable. Franziska Kett didn't travel to Leipzig either because of illness.

Narrow half-time lead

Bayern showed a desire to play from the start and moved the ball around well. Gwinn had a shot blocked behind by Julia Magerl in the 11th minute, with Eriksson rising highest from the subsequent corner to head in the opening goal. The visitors continued to dominate proceedings after that and, aside from a long-range effort from Marleen Schimmer in the 16th minute, allowed little towards their goal. However, despite almost 80 percent possession, Straus' side struggled to cause the Leipzig defence real problems for the remainder of the first period. The lively Linda Dallmann did have a one-on-one opportunity on the stroke of half-time but was denied at close range by Leipzig goalkeeper Elvira Herzog. 

Comfortable second half

It was a similar story after the change of ends. Bayern had a big double chance to double their lead in the 56th minute but neither Dallmann nor Lea Schüller, on her 150th appearance for the club, could get enough power on their headers. Soon after that, Dallmann's strike from 20 metres was turned around the post by Herzog. At the other end, Giovanna Hoffmann curled over from a tight angle as Ena Mahmutovic remained largely untroubled in goal. Despite dominating play, it stayed a narrow but deserved win for Bayern Women, who keep up the pressure on leaders on Frankfurt.

Hoffenheim away and Frankfurt in the cup

The champions continue their Women's Bundesliga title defence next Sunday, 9 February, with the away fixture at TSG Hoffenheim. Kick-off at the Dietmar-Hopp-Stadion is at 14:00 CET. Three days later, there's a DFB Cup quarter-final showdown against Eintracht Frankfurt at the FC Bayern Campus, at 18:30 CET on Wednesday 12 February.