Harder hat-trick leads FC Bayern Women to opening win over Arsenal

FC Bayern Women kicked off the 2024/25 UEFA Women’s Champions League with a 5-2 win at home to Arsenal on Wednesday. The opening victory in Europe extended the team’s record in all competitions this season to eight wins from as many games.

Mariona Caldentey put the visitors ahead after 30 minutes, but captain Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir began the comeback at a sold-out FC Bayern Campus, where president Herbert Hainer and men’s players Sacha Boey and Mathys Tel where also in attendance. Sydney Lohmann had the Munich Frauen in front after the break before Codina Panedas levelled again. But a hat-trick from Pernille Harder in the final 17 minutes propelled Bayern to three points to begin Group C.

Straus: “Took the next step”

“It was an even game in the first half. We made the better start and then Arsenal got better, but the key thing was the goal before half-time. In the second half, my team showed great mentality after the equaliser. Today we took the next step against a good opponent. We were really great.”

Lohmann: “The game we wanted to play”

“What we showed in the second half is exactly the game we wanted to play. It’s nice that we were able to play like that at the highest level against a team like Arsenal. This experience is hugely important for us, but at the end of the day it’s nothing more than one game, despite how good it feels. Now it’s about building on that in the next games.”

Viggósdóttir, Zadrazil and Bühl start

Head coach Alexander Straus made three changes to the team that started the weekend’s 1-0 win at home to Köln in the Google Pixel Bundesliga. Captain Viggósdóttir returned from a domestic suspension in place of Linda Sembrant. Sarah Zadrazil and Klara Bühl also came on for Samantha Kerr and Lea Schüller.

Even opening period

The game got off to a lively start as both teams looked to get forward, but it was Arsenal who had the first opportunities of note. Apart from a long-range effort from Georgia Stanway that was held by ex-Bayern keeper Manuela Zinsberger, the Munich Frauen were mostly frustrated by the Gunners’ defence.

Viggósdóttir prompts comeback

Bayern were somewhat fortunate in the 20th minute when Katie McCabe’s corner came back off the post. There was then nothing the hosts could do on the half-hour mark when Caldentey turned in a cross from the left past Mala Grohs. Giulia Gwinn had an effort from a narrow angle repelled by Zinsberger, but Bayern were back level before the break when Viggósdóttir rose high at the far post to head in Stanway’s cross.

Good start to second half

Still riding the momentum of the end of the first half, Bayern came out for the second looking to go ahead themselves. Carolin Simon’s effort from distance was tipped around the post by Zinsberger before Harder headed narrowly wide on her 50th Champions League appearance. That good spell was then rewarded in the 56th minute when Bühl won the ball in midfield and played in Lohmann up the right, who fired in at the near post.

Three late Harder goals

However, Arsenal hit back with their first notable chance of the half when Panedas headed in a corner. That didn’t throw Bayern, though, as they continued to create chances of their own and were once again ahead on 73 minutes when Harder also put away a corner with her head. The Danish striker wasn’t done there as she extended the advantage only five minutes later with another header, this time meeting an excellent cross from the left into the six-yard box. She made it a hat-trick and a round five for Bayern in the closing moments when she put away a rebound from her own saved shot.

Visits to Wolfsburg and Turin

The big games come thick and fast now for Bayern as they now visit domestic rivals Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday (kick-off: 5.45pm CEST. That’s followed by a trip to Italy the following Wednesday to face Juventus in the Champions League (6.45pm).