Set pieces and record 25,000 crowd help FC Bayern Women into Champions League semi-finals

It was one of those evenings in Munich where football produces its own unique drama. Evenings when patience is not just a virtue, but a prerequisite. FC Bayern Women experienced precisely such an evening against Manchester United on 1 April. The second leg of their UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final tie demanded a great deal from José Barcala’s side, perhaps more than at any other time this season. In the end, however, there was a happy result as a 2-1 win in front of 25,000 fans at the Allianz Arena, combined with the 3-2 victory from the first leg in Manchester, saw the Munich Frauen through to the semi-finals to face either Real Madrid or Barcelona.

It was certainly a case of good things come to those who wait in Fröttmaning on Wednesday evening. The Munich Frauen didn’t just show that they can hold their own in such big games. Rather, Bayern proved that they are now more than at home on this grand European stage. Director Bianca Rech summed it up after the 90 minutes: “Today, the Bayern standard was back again. We’ve fulfilled a little dream, returning to the semi-finals, for which we’ve worked hard for years.”

Behind early on

The evening didn’t exactly begin as expected for Bayern, though. United started the match with the determination one would expect from a team that had lost the first leg 3-2 and felt they had nothing left to lose. The early goal by Melvine Malard caught the hosts off guard. Marc Skinner’s team surprised everyone, playing far more offensively and boldly than they had in the first leg. A long ball, a moment’s hesitation, a mistake in the FCB box. The French forward simply had to tap it in.

And suddenly, a quiet murmur swept through the Allianz Arena. That goal had thrown the outcome into doubt. And the Red Devils remained aggressive and alert. Carolin Simon said afterwards, with a hint of relief: “Perhaps it wasn’t such a bad thing that we were 1-0 down, because it forced us to make changes and be more proactive.”

Possession without a way through

Bayern responded but initially struggled to translate that into action. Whilst they controlled possession, they did not control the game. The first half turned into a battle to regain their composure. Perhaps, at times, it seemed that Bayern were also a little daunted by the club record Champions League crowd of 25,000 spectators. It was as if the magnitude of the moment weighed heavily on the shoulders of Giulia Gwinn, Franzi Kett and the rest. The few chances in the first half – such as Vanessa Gilles from set pieces – remained mere footnotes. At half-time, the score was, unsurprisingly, still 1-0. And everything was still to play for.

A statement second half

In the second half, however, the game began to swing more and more in the home side’s favour. With possession at times reaching 90 percent, the game was played almost exclusively in the English visitors’ half during the opening quarter of an hour of the second period.

The crowd of 25,000 were now providing an ever-growing boost. The Munich Frauen played with a new sense of determination in a one-way game, with constant pressure. United were pushed back and pinned down. But they parked the bus in front of goal. And so, for the time being, the decisive moment failed to materialise.

No way through

For however dominant they were, they came up against a defence that stood firm. United, led by captain Maya Le Tissier, sat deep, were tough to break down, closed ranks and played with passion. Pernille Harder created chances but couldn’t finish them off. Gwinn had a shot on goal, but she too couldn’t find a way through. With every passing minute, the sense of urgency grew, as did the quiet realisation that this evening could be heading in the wrong direction. But Bayern left no room for such thoughts and were rewarded late on.

A captain’s goal

They had to wait a long time – until the 80th minute, to be precise. A set piece. “That’s what Bayern are good at,” the spectators in Munich might have thought. Simon stepped up to take the corner, putting the ball into the penalty area, where Glódís Viggósdóttir rose to meet it. The captain connected decisively with her head to equalise. The Allianz Arena erupted, and to some it felt as though they had experienced this moment before.

The thought of late goals, of matches in which she, as captain, took charge. There was a similar moment last November, when Bayern’s No.4 also sealed the win, making it 3-2 against Arsenal. Naturally, it came just before the final whistle – is there any other way of scoring a winner? Viggósdóttir said afterwards: “This is the next step we haven’t been able to take in recent years – a huge step for us.” She and her team had laid the groundwork for this moment in training too. “Caro has an incredible left foot; she can place the ball exactly where she wants, with great pace,” explained the centre-back. “For us, it’s really just a matter of getting our heads on it.”

Round it off

Everything was now in motion. United were reeling. The Red Devils’ trademark organisation was beginning to crumble. Four minutes later, the game and tie were settled. Once again, it was a ball that couldn’t be cleared properly at a corner. The rebound fell to Linda Dallmann. And she did what great players do in moments like that: she didn’t hesitate. An uncompromising shot just under the crossbar. Game over. “It was a reward for us as a team, for the players and the coaching staff,” she said afterwards.

Not long after, a tie that had looked set to go to extra-time was done. Once the final whistle blew, the 25,000 spectators rose to their feet and applauded, and the Bayern players were given a fitting send-off in front of the Südkurve. This match had demanded patience. It had demanded resilience. And it showed that both can pay off.

Into the final four

It finished 5-3 on aggregate. The second leg, in particular, was a testament to the maturity of Barcala’s side, to their ability to bounce back from setbacks and deliver when it matters most. “I’m so proud of the players, so proud of the team – we all deserve to be in the semi-finals.” This is their third appearance in the semi-finals, following on from 2018/19 and 2020/21. In three weeks’ time, they will face Spanish opposition in either Barcelona or Real Madrid. The Catalans won the first leg comfortably 6-2 and will host their domestic rivals at the Nou Camp in Thursday’s second leg.

Regardless of who Bayern end up facing, this Munich team isn’t defined by its opponents. They define themselves through their attitude and determination. That’s exactly what Rech meant after the match when she said: “Everything that comes next is a bit of a bonus. And that’s exactly what we have to believe in, that we can do this.”

🗞️ Our report from the second leg with Manchester United: 

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