Dominant FCB Women ease into cup semi-finals

• FCB Women through to cup semi-finals
• Rall and Bühl on target  
• Draw on Sunday

We're one step closer to Cologne! FC Bayern Women are safely through to the women's DFB Cup semi-finals after coach Alexander Straus' team beat TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 2-0 on Tuesday evening to book their place in the last four.

Maximiliane Rall gave the Frauen a 1-0 lead after 68 minutes at the Dietmar Hopp Stadium, before Klara Bühl sealed the deal 13 minutes from time. The draw for the last four takes place next Sunday, 5 March, at 5:15 pm CET.

Start for Kumagai

Straus made one change to his starting line-up compared to the commanding 3-0 away win in the rearranged Bundesliga Matchday 11 fixture at Turbine Potsdam, with Saki Kumagai starting in defence and Rall on the bench. In addition to Giulia Gwinn (cruciate) and Jovana Damnjanović (torn muscle), Bayern were without Laura Benkarth (illness) and Tainara (muscular problems) in Sinsheim.

Dominant first half

The visitors started well and pushed the home team deep into their own half. However, it took until the 22nd minute before Munich created the first moment of danger in front of Martina Tufeković's goal. After a Bühl corner, Kumagai headed high towards goal, but captain Lina Magull just failed to connect at the far post. Just four minutes later, a Magull shot from an acute angle fizzed over the crossbar. As the game wore on, FCB came closer to an opener, but in the 35th minute Tufeković scrambled a Carolin Simon cross onto the crossbar.

Control and composure after the break

After the interval, the pattern of the contest was similar to that of the first half, although Hoffenheim showed more determination and fought for a foothold. But on 68 minutes, substitute Rall handed the visiotres a well-deserved lead: the rebound from Bühl's shot landed at the Germany international's feet and she made no mistake against her former club, crashing the ball into the net to open the scoring. After that, Munich kept their opponents on a tight leash and Bühl doubled the lead from close range in the 77th minute after good work from Schüller.

Trip to Bremen, home to Duisburg

There's no time to draw breath for the German record champions' Women. Rounding out the spell of three games in eight days, Munich are on the road again at SV Werder Bremen in the FLYERALARM Women's Bundesliga. The Matchday 13 encounter kicks off at 4 pm CET on Sunday, 5 March. Less than a week later, on Friday, 10 March, at 7:15 pm CET, the Frauen entertain MSV Duisburg at the FC Bayern Campus.