Seven strikes to start: FC Bayern Women in goalscoring form

In the first internationals of the year, the German national team, led by captain Giulia Gwinn, started World Cup qualifying with a 5-0 win at home to Slovenia. Georgia Stanway bagged a brace for the Lionesses, while Momoko Tanikawa celebrated an opening victory with Japan in the Asian Cup. In total, FC Bayern Women’s internationals scored seven goals. fcbayern.com rounds up the international action involving the double winners for you.

Germany beat Slovenia at home

On Tuesday evening, Germany with Gwinn, Franziska Kett, Linda Dallmann and Ena Mahmutović kicked off their World Cup qualifying campaign with a comfortable 5-0 win over Slovenia in Dresden. Klara Bühl, who had also been included in the squad, pulled out because of a muscle injury.

Dallmann particularly impressed in Dresden, setting up Vivien Endemann for the opening goal after six minutes before scoring herself from a tight angle in the 48th minute. Next up for Christian Wück’s side is a trip to Norway on Saturday evening (18:00).

Tanikawa on target in opening win for Japan

At 6:00 CET on Wednesday morning, Japan and Tanikawa got started in the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia. Japan took command early against Taiwan, dominating possession and creating several chances. They were finally rewarded for the pressure in the 61st minute thanks to Tanikawa, who opened the scoring.

Japan remained on top and added another goal through Kiki Seike to complete a deserved 2-0 scoreline. The opening win gives Japan important points and confidence for the second group fixture against India at 12:00 CET on Saturday.

Imade celebrates first goal for Spain

Edna Imade scored her first goal for the Spanish senior team in their opening World Cup qualifier against Iceland and FCB teammate Glódís Viggósdóttir. The 25-year-old rose highest to meet a corner from the right in the 76th minute and plant a header into the bottom left corner. The forward’s goal made it a final score of 3-0 to the Spaniards, who meet Ukraine on Saturday. Iceland are away to England on Saturday (13:30).

Stanway hits brace

Talking of England, the Lionesses eased to a 6-1 victory over Ukraine in their opener. Georgia Stanway played the full 90 minutes in Antalya and contributed two of the goals. She converted a penalty to make it 3-1 in the 64th minute before firing in the next goal just six minutes later from the edge of the box. After the winning start on Tuesday, the reigning European champions take on Iceland and Viggósdóttir in Nottingham on Saturday.

Denmark claim 3-1 home win with Ballisager and Harder

Denmark also began their qualifying campaign for the 2027 World Cup. Munich duo Pernille Harder and Stine Ballisager both started against Serbia, but sadly didn’t come up against club colleague Jovana Damnjanović, who travelled back from international duty early because of an overuse injury in the leg. Captain Harder set up the opening goal for Sofie Bredgaard in the 13th minute and then scored the final goal of the 3-1 win herself with a 64th-minute penalty. The Danes play in Italy on Saturday.

Gilles scores for Canada in SheBelieves Cup

Vanessa Gilles played her first game with Canada at the SheBelieves Cup in the United States. Against Colombia with FCB loanee Ana Guzmán in their side, the 29-year-old impressed and headed her team in front on 31 minutes. It ended in a deserved 4-1 victory for the Canadians, who take on hosts USA overnight (00:45).

Less successful start for other internationals

For Bayern’s Austrian trio of Barbara Dunst, Maria Plattner and Katharina Naschenweng, World Cup qualifying started at home to Norway. With Dunst in the starting XI, it was an even contest for a long time until the Norwegians made it 1-0 in the 81st minute. Naschenweng came on shortly after that but couldn’t prevent Austria slipping to a defeat. Plattner was an unused substitute. The Austrians’ second match is in Slovenia on Saturday (19:00).

Arianna Caruso and Italy were also beaten in their opening qualifier. Real Madrid’s Filippa Angeldahl scored the only goal of the game for Sweden in the 22nd minute. Caruso, who started the match, and her teammates host Denmark on Saturday at 18:15 CET.

Finally, Poland and Natalia Padilla Bidas met Netherlands in World Cup qualifying. After Ewa Pajor gave the Poles the lead in the 24th minute, the Oranje Leeuwinnen equalised shortly before half-time through Veerle Buurman and then took the lead in the 47th minute thanks to Jill Roord’s strike. Poland fought back, though, and salvaged a 2-2 draw thanks to Paulina Tomasiak’s goal in the 84th minute. Padilla Bidas came on in stoppage time and wasn’t able to find a winner for her side.

Results of internationals involving FCB Women at a glance:

Germany 5-0 Slovenia (Giulia Gwinn, Franziska Kett, Linda Dallmann, Ena Mahmutovic) 

Austria 0-1 Norway (Maria Plattner, Katharina Naschenweng, Barbara Dunst) 

Denmark 3-1 Serbia (Pernille Harder, Stine Ballisager)

Italy 0-1 Sweden (Arianna Caruso)

Japan 2-0 Taiwan (Momoko Tanikawa)

Canada 4-1 Columbia (Vanessa Gilles)

Ukraine 1-6 England (Georgia Stanway)

Iceland 0-3 Spain (Glódís Viggósdóttir, Edna Imade)

Poland 2-2 Netherlands (Natalia Padilla Bidas)

Ticket sales for FC Bayern Women’s Champions League quarter-final at the Allianz Arena have already reached 10,000: