FCB Women take step towards semi-finals with victory against Arsenal

It was a glittering night at the Allianz Arena as FC Bayern Women celebrated a 1-0 win against Arsenal WFC in their UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final first leg in front of 20,000 fans on Tuesday evening. With that, coach Alexander Straus' side have put themselves in a very good position for the return leg in London on Wednesday 29 March. Lea Schüller gave Bayern the lead in the 39th minute. Arsenal pressed for an equaliser in the second half, but the Munich girls threw everything in their way and held on for the win.

Unchanged line-up

Never change a winning team: Straus stuck with the starting XI that won 5-0 at 1. FC Köln in the FLYERALARM Women's Bundesliga last weekend. Caro Simon returned to the squad after recovering from a muscle problem.

Anti-racism gesture

Just before kick-off, the teams took the knee in a joint gesture for diversity and against all forms of discrimination on International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. FC Bayern is again joining in with this year's 'International Weeks against Racism' from 21 March to 2 April with numerous projects as part of the cross-club 'Reds Against Racism' initiative. Full details.

Schüller breaks the deadlock

Bayern Women started the game well and took control from the start. However, it was the visitors who threatened first in the 20th minute, but Maria Luisa Grohs beat Frida Maanum to the ball. Three minutes later, Munich had their first sight of goal when Schüller's shot from 18 metres fizzed narrowly past the far post. The hosts remained on the front foot after that and Schüller had another opportunity on 31 minutes, but was thwarted by a strong save from ex-FCB goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger. The forward did better in the 39th minute, rising highest to head in Maximiliane Rall's cross and give Bayern a half-time lead.

Hard-fought second half

Arsenal were bolder after the restart and Bayern were lucky in the 52nd minute when Caitlin Foord's shot hit the outside of the post. Ten minutes later, the Gunners got into another dangerour position in front of the Munich goal but Saki Kumagai cleared Stina Blackstenius's header off the line with a great sliding block. Arsenal's spell of pressure continued as Leah Williamson bore down on goal in the 70th minute, but Schüller was alert and cleared. FCB tightened things up after that and could've even made it 2-0 shortly before the end when Rall was denied by Zinsberger after being played in by substitute Jovana Damnjanović, and so it ended in a narrow 1-0 success.

Two huge games against Wolfsburg and Arsenal

It's one highlight after the next at the moment. The Bavarians end a busy week with a home match against VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday 25 March. The top-of-the-table clash between first and second in the Women's Bundesliga kicks off at 17:55 CET at the FC Bayern Campus. Just four days later, on Wednesday 29 March at 21:00 CEST, a place in the Champions League semi-finals is on the line in the second leg against Arsenal at London's Emirates Stadium.