UWCL: FCB Women lose at Ajax

• First loss of the season
• Final game before the winter break
• Third place in the group

A narrow defeat in Europe’s premier club competition for FC Bayern Women. Coach Alexander Straus' team lost 1-0 at Ajax on Wednesday evening in the final game of the year in the UEFA Women's Champions League. Romée Leuchter (44’) scored the only goal of the evening in the Johan Cruijff ArenA in the first half. It was the Munich side's first defeat of the season. With five points from their first four games, Bayern are third in the Group C table, behind Ajax (7 points) and Paris Saint-Germain (6) and ahead of AS Roma (4).

Gwinn and Zadrazil in the starting line-up

In comparison to the 1-1 draw at 1. FC Nürnberg in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga on Sunday evening, Straus made four changes to his starting XI. Giulia Gwinn started in defence for Inès Belloumou. In midfield, Sarah Zadrazil, Linda Dallmann and Sydney Lohmann were recalled in place of Samantha Kerr, Lina Magull and Lea Schüller.

In addition to Schüller, Alara Şehitler (both having tested positive for coronavirus), Klara Bühl (muscle injury) and Magdalena Eriksson (metatarsal fracture), the Munich side were also without Carolin Simon (cruciate ligament rupture), Weronika Zawistowska (cruciate ligament rupture) and Cécilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir (kneecap dislocation) due to long-term injuries.

Ajax score just before the break

After initially feeling things out, the game gathered pace as the match progressed. Gwinn created the first chance with a free-kick in the 15th minute, but failed to break the deadlock, hitting only the side-netting. At the other end, Bayern had luck when Ashleigh Weerden hit the crossbar with a long-range shot. The game then developed into an evenly matched affair in which the two defences made few mistakes for long periods. In the 35th minute, Jovana Damnjanović won the footrace after a cross from Gwinn, but goalkeeper Regina van Eijk was on hand to make the save. Shortly before the break, Leuchter (44’) put the visitors 1-0 behind after a swift counter-attack.

FCB squander an equalising opportunity

It was a similar story after the break. In the 50th minute, Bayern goalkeeper Maria Luisa Grohs prevented the second goal with a strong save after a strike from Milicia Keijzer. Shortly afterwards, captain Zadrazil (58’) tried her luck from distance, but shot just wide of the Dutch side's goal. Munich continued to fight. In the final phase of the match, Magull (74’) was presented with the chance to equalise after a great pass from Damnjanović, but van Eijk was able to save the shot. In the end, it remained a narrow defeat.

Winter break and DFB Cup round of 16

Following the clash with Ajax, the women's team of the German record champions will head into the winter break. They then resume their season in mid-January with the round of 16 of the women's DFB Cup. The Munich girls face regional league side Kickers Offenbach away from home. That match kicks off on Sunday 21 January, 14.00 CET.