FCB Women draw 1-1 with Ajax

• FCB women remain unbeaten
• Schüller scores
• Sold-out FC Bayern Campus

FC Bayern Women are still unbeaten in Europe's premier women's competition. Coach Alexander Straus' side had to settle for a 1-1 (1-1) draw against Ajax in the UEFA Women's Champions League on Thursday evening despite taking an early lead.

The Munich side actually got off to a dream start. Lea Schüller (2nd minute) put the home side ahead in front of national team coach Horst Hrubesch at the sold-out 2,500-seater FC Bayern Campus. However, the visitors equalised shortly before the break through Chasity Grant to make it 1-1. With three games played, Bayern Women now have five points to their name.

Schüller and Naschenweng in the starting XI

Coach Straus made two changes to his starting line-up compared to the 3-0 home win against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga on Monday evening. Katharina Naschenweng started in defence for Inès Belloumou, who was relegated to the bench, and Schüller replaced the injured Klara Bühl (muscular injury) in attack.

The Reds were also missing long-term injurees Pernille Harder (medial ligament injury), Carolin Simon (cruciate ligament tear), Weronika Zawistowska (cruciate ligament tear) and Cécilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir (dislocated kneecap).

Two goals in the first half

After a perfectly weighted cross from Sydney Lohmann, Linda Dallmann found herself in space in the centre and got off a shot. Goalkeeper Regina van Eijk was initially able to make a save, but Schüller (2') was perfectly positioned to stroke the ball over the line to make it 1-0. The home side continued to dominate the game, but the visitors kept things tight in defence.

In the 25th minute, the Reds had the ball in the Dutch team's goal again. Dallmann steered a cross from Naschenweng into the net, but the referee disallowed it for offside. Shortly afterwards, the visitors made it 1-1 out of nowhere with their first dangerous move through Grant (38').

Intense second half

The Reds came out after the break highly motivated and forced Ajax deep into their own half. Georgia Stanway had a go with a shot from distance in the 50th minute, but the ball flew over the bar. In the 63rd minute, Bayern Women then had a double chance to make it 2-1: Following a free-kick by substitute Lina Magull, Schüller hit the crossbar and Sarah Zadrazil's follow-up shot was blocked.

The home side continued to keep piling on the pressure. In the 77th minute, Magull curled a free-kick from 30 metres just over van Eijk's goal. Seven minutes later, Jovana Damnjanović finished off a counter-attack with a shot, but the Dutch goalkeeper was again alert to the danger. In the end, the game finished in a 1-1 draw.

Next up: Trips to Nuremburg and Amsterdam

Two games to go until the winter break: The Reds face 1. FC Nürnberg in the Women's Bundesliga on Sunday 17 December, with the game kicking off at 18.30 CET at the Max Morlock Stadium. Three days later, on Wednesday 20 December at 18:45 CET, they face Ajax in the reverse fixture of the UWCL in Amsterdam.