FC Bayern Women knock out Manchester United to reach Champions League semi-finals

FC Bayern Women beat Manchester United 2-1 in the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final second leg on Wednesday to progress to the semi-finals of the premier club competition in European women’s football. A week after their 3-2 first-leg victory in Manchester, the Munich side booked their place in the last four in front of a new club record crowd in the competition of 25,000 at the Allianz Arena.

Under the watchful gaze of honorary president Uli Hoeneß, board member for sport Max Eberl, sporting director Christoph Freund, men's head coach Vincent Kompany along with his coaching staff, as well as deputy vice-president Walter Mennekes, Manchester United made the brighter start. The Red Devils took the lead on 11 minutes through Melvine Malard. Captain Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir equalised with nine minutes to go (81') and Linda Dallmann doubled the lead four minutes later to wrap up the 2-1 win for FCB.

The Munich side will now face either Barcelona or Real Madrid in the semi-finals. The Catalans won the first leg 6-2 last week, with the second leg taking place on Thursday evening at Camp Nou (18:45 CEST).

Malard with the early opener for the visitors

The match in the north of Munich was hotly contested right from the start. United had the first good chance in the fourth minute: After a long ball, Hinata Miyazawa found herself in acres of space on the right wing. The Japanese striker set up Melvine Malard, but she was denied by Ena Mahmutovic. Three minutes later, Bayern also had their first dangerous chance in front of goal, when Dallmann chased down a long pass on the left and shot from distance, but the ball went just wide. It was the English side who got the opening goal: United's Jayde Riviere lofted a long ball in behind the defence, Mahmutovic misjudged it, Malard reacted with lightning speed and slotted home to make it 1-0 to the Red Devils (11').

Bayern then increasingly took control, but struggled to break through the English side’s well-organised defence. The Munich women then created some danger in the 36th minute: Carolin Simon whipped in a corner from the left to the far post, where Vanessa Gilles won the ensuing aerial battle but headed a metre wide. In the 41st minute, it felt like the equaliser might be in the air: after a corner from Giulia Gwinn, Gilles rose high again and aimed for the right-hand corner with her head, but Malard just managed to stick out a leg to clear off the line.

Viggósdóttir and Dallmann turn the game around

Bayern came out well after the break and pressed for an equaliser right from the off. In the 52nd minute, a controversial incident in the United penalty area caused a bit of a stir: Following a corner from the right, Phallon Tullis-Joyce went to punch the ball away but completely missed, and it then came off the shoulder of Jess Park at the far post. The Bayern players appealed for a penalty, but the referee allowed play to continue. Bernadette Amani's effort from distance found Pernille Harder, who spun round Le Tissier and unleashed a left-footed finish. However, United keeper Tullis-Joyce reacted with lightning speed and blocked the shot with her foot.

And the ball continued to go in one direction only: in the 58th minute, Bayern combined beautifully when Dallmann played Tanikawa into the box with the outside of her boot. The Japan international then laid the ball off to Harder, whose finish was blocked at the last moment by Le Tissier. The Munich side finally got their reward in the 81st minute: Simon delivered a corner from the right to Viggósdóttir, who headed in from close range at the near post. Shortly afterwards, the next corner decided the game: Malard cleared Viggósdóttir's header off the line, but the ball fell to Dallmann on the penalty spot and she smashed it under the crossbar (85').

DFB Cup semi-final & international break

Up next for the Munich women is another knockout tie on Easter Monday, 6 April, when the defending champions host Essen in the semi-finals of the DFB Cup. Kick-off at the FC Bayern Campus is at 15.30 CEST. Following that, they head into the next international break.