FC Bayern Women edge past Bayer Leverkusen into quarter-finals

FC Bayern Women are through to the quarter-finals of the 2026/27 DFB Cup after edging past Bayer Leverkusen at the Campus on Sunday. Pernille Harder’s penalty in the 73rd minute was all that separated the sides in a hard-fought tie. The two-time defending champions will discover their opponent for the last eight on 13 December. The game will be played on 10/11 March 2027.

Chances aplenty

Bayern made their intentions clear from the off and settled inside the Leverkusen half. The first opportunity came after 11 minutes when Sophie Proost’s through ball reached Momoko Tanikawa, who laid back to Proost arriving in the box, but her shot was blocked. The visitors almost made their first attack count, but Valentina Mädl narrowly missed Cornelia Kramer’s square ball.

After that, chances started to flow for Bayern. Linda Dallmann ran onto a ball from her own half, cut inside a defender but couldn’t beat goalkeeper Rafaela Borggräfe. Harder then hit the post after being set up by Dallmann before chipping an effort just over from a tight angle on the left. Tanikawa’s shot from the edge of the box was saved by Borggräfe.

Bayern remained the side pushing for a goal but couldn’t find a way through the organised Leverkusen defence. Harder forced her way into the box but her finish was too central. The visitors had their first shot of the game in the 41st minute when ex-Bayern defender Carolin Simon fired a free-kick at Ena Mahmutovic. Tanikawa had the final attempt of the half but was denied by the foot of Borggräfe.

Harder on the spot

The first effort of the second period came from the visitors when Maja Sternad fired wide from the edge of the box. Bayern responded moments later, but Tanikawa put her effort just over the bar. Leverkusen showed more attacking intent than the first half, allowing the Munich Frauen extra space to go forward. Tanikawa got on the end of a Proost cross from the right but couldn’t connect properly, before Leverkusen created another attempt for Kramer, who could only turn the ball straight at Mahmutovic.

The game’s best chance so far fell to Magdalena Eriksson after 70 minutes when she got on the end of Harder’s corner and turned the ball towards goal, only for Borggräfe to claw the effort off the line while on the ground. Bayern finally found a way through with a quarter of an hour remaining when Tanikawa was brought down in the box, with Harder stepping up to convert the penalty. With nothing to lose, Leverkusen pushed for a way back in but couldn’t create anything of note as Bayern earned their place in the quarter-finals for the seventh year running as they continue the defence of their cup crown.

Bremen then to Paris

Bayern’s third home game in 10 days sees them host Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga at the Campus on Friday (18:30 CET). They then go to the Parc des Prices to take on Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday, 10 November (21:00).