FCB women knocked out of UWCL despite strong mental performance

• Strong and energetic team performance
• Bayern women not rewarded
• Quarter-final exit after extra time

A bitterly disappointing evening for the FC Bayern women. Despite an impressive mental performance, the Munich girls could only manage a 2-2 draw (1-1, 2-1) after extra time in the quarter-final second leg of the UEFA Women's Champions League. After a narrow 2-1 defeat in the first leg at the Allianz Arena, the draw wasn't enough to progress. In front of 27,262 spectators at the Parc des Princes, Sandy Baltimore scored the opener on 17 minutes to put coach Jens Scheuer's team behind, but Saki Kumagai had the perfect response and equalised just two minutes later to make it 1-1 going into the break. Shortly after the restart, Lea Schüller (55') levelled the aggregate score, taking the Bayern women into extra time. Ramona Bachmann (112') wrapped up the final score, sealing the visitors' exit with her goal.

Scheuer: "Compliments to my players".

"A big compliment to my players for how they implemented the plan and how we played football, which they did really well," Scheuer said after the match. "Still, we're hugely disappointed because of course we wanted to get to the semi-finals."

Bühl and Glas in the starting XI

The coach made two changes going into the second leg: Compared to the commanding 4-0 home win against SGS Essen in the Women's Bundesliga three days ago, Scheuer, who was plagued by team selection problems, changed his starting line-up in two positions. Klara Bühl replaced Viviane Asseyi, who was suspended having previously been yellow carded. In addition, Hanna Glas started in place of Maximiliane Rall, who, like seven other Bayer players, was absent due to testing positive for COVID. Overall, Scheuer was missing 12 players in Paris.

All-square at half-time  

The FCB women started the match well and dominated from the off, but it was the Parisians who took the lead with their first dangerous action. A corner kick was initially cleared by the Reds, but Baltimore (17') curled the ball into the goal from outside the box to put the home side 1-0 up. But the visitors, led by captain Lina Magull, immediately came up with the right response. After goalkeeper Barbora Votíková could only palm a Carolin Simon free-kick away, centre-back Kumagai (19') was in exactly the right place to knock the ball in from close range for the much-celebrated equaliser. Seven minutes later, Janina Leitzig prevented the second goal with a strong foot against Grace Geyoro. At the other end, it was another Simon free-kick that created problems for Votíková just before half-time, but Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir's header (37') was too loose.

Schüller takes the game to extra time  

In the second half, it was Baltimore again who had the first chance after a counter attack on 52 minutes, but her shot flew well over the bar. Bayern countered immediately, with Bühl shooting from 20 metres and top striker Schüller (55') deflected the ball into the net to give Bayern a 2-1 lead. The visitors then pressed for the crucial third goal. But their opponents also kept creating chances, as Marie-Antoinette Katoto underlined with her strike ten minutes from the end. In the dying seconds of normal time, Bühl (87') and Magull (90') tried shots from distance, but weren't accurate enough.

FCB women not rewarded   

In extra time, too, neither team gave any quarter. PSG had the better chances - but with their last reserves of strength, the Bayern women threw everything into their tackles. In the end, however, they were not to be rewarded for a fantastic mental performance. In the 112th minute, substitute Bachmann scored to make it 2-2, which meant the Munich women were out.

Back-to-back games against Wolfsburg

A battle for the top spot and a place in the cup semi-finals: From Paris, the women of the German record champions head to the Autostadt to face leaders VfL Wolfsburg in the Flyeralarm Women's Bundesliga this Sunday, 3 April. The game kicks off at 14:00 CEST at the AOK Stadium. A win could see the Bayern women move into first place. The next knockout match is a week later. In the stadium at the FC Bayern Campus, the Reds will host the Wolves in the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup.

Check out our gallery for the best photos from the second leg in Paris: