FCB Women celebrate battling win in Essen

• FCB tighten grip on first place
• 14th straight Bundesliga victory
• Schüller and Magull on target

FC Bayern Women are yet to drop a single point in 2023 following a hard-fought 2-1 win away to SGS Essen on Matchday 19 of the FLYERALARM Women's Bundesliga on Saturday, securing their ninth Bundesliga win of the year. In an evenly-matched first half, the Frauen took a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Lea Schüller (35th minute) and Lina Magull (39). In the second half, the hosts cut the deficit straight after after Saki Kumagai's sending off (59) with a direct free kick by Nastasha Kowalski (61), but Munich managed to retain the lead until the final whistle despite being a player down.

Top spot defended

With three matches to go, FCB remain top of the Bundesliga standings on 52 points, one ahead of second-placed VfL Wolfsburg, who won 7-1 in their fixture against 1. FC Köln on Sunday afternoon.

Straus: We were the better team but were wasteful

"It was unnecessarily tight today. We had four clear-cut chances which we have to put away. After Essen's free-kick goal, it was a difficult game, also because we had a player less. But in the end we were the better team and deserved to win," said head coach Alexander Straus.

Magull: Just happy to take the three points

"When you have to defend a 2-1 lead with only 10 players, you're just happy to take the three points in the end. Overall, we have to be honest with ourselves and know that the performance today wasn't enough. We have to work as quickly as possible to eliminate our mistakes and make better use of our chances. But we're of course delighted with the three points," said captain Magull afterwards.

Straus makes two changes

Straus made two changes to his starting line-up compared to the 8-2 home win against SC Freiburg, Tuva Hansen and Schüller coming in for Sydney Lohmann and Jovana Damnjanović. Bayern were without without long-term injury victims Linda Dallmann (syndesmosis ligament), Giulia Gwinn (cruciate) and Franziska Kett (shoulder). In addition, Tainara was ruled out of the game in Essen due to muscular problems.

Schüller and Magull hand Bayern the lead 

Munich were wide awake from the start and dominated the opening exchanges away to the team lying seventh in the table. The first big chance for FCB came on the quarter-hour: after an attack down the left, Klara Bühl delivered a dangerous cross into the SGS box, where Schüller was waiting to pounce. However, keeper Sophia Winkler saved the centre-forward's 12-yard effort with her foot

The hosts increasingly found their way into the game, leading to a competitive clash at Essen's Stadion an der Hafenstraße. But ten minutes before the break Munich were rewarded for their courageous approach. After a cross from Carolin Simon, Schüller rose highest and headed home the important opening goal. Only four minutes later Magull completed a Bavarian double whammy. A corner from the right caused chaos in the Essen penalty area. The loose ball landed at the feet of the captain, who had no trouble netting from a central position.

Hard-fought second half 

Bayern started the second period strongly and had another great chance just six minutes into the half. After a slick passing move, Georgia Stanway found Schüller in a promising position, but she once again failed to beat Winkler. Despite the two-goal deficit, SGS did not give up and continued to make things difficult for Bayern. After a controversial red card for Kumagai (59), sent off by referee Anna-Lena Heidenreich for a supposed foul as last player on Vivien Endemann, the home side immediately reduced the deficit through Natasha Kowalski's direct free kick (61).

Despite being down to ten players, Munich continued to control the game and created further great chances with Damnjanović's header and sub Lohmann's shot off the post. In the end, the Frauen earned three more important points in the title race thanks to a strong collective performance.

Home to Hoffenheim

Head coach Straus' team face their next task in the FLYERALARM Women's Bundesliga as early as next Friday, 12 May. In the penultimate home match of the season, the Reds welcome TSG 1899 Hoffenheim to the FC Bayern Campus. Kickoff for the Matchday 20 opener is at 19:15 CEST.