Following the last-gasp winner against Juventus on Thursday evening, only todays match remained before the international break, with a chance to head into it three points clear.
Köln had a mixed start to
the season, sitting in 10th but having three wins from their last four matches. They also had the midweek off, so were well rested for this match.
Head Coach José Barcala made five changes to the Starting XI from the clash against Juventus: Magdalena Eriksson replaced Glódis Perla Viggósdóttir, Katharina Naschenweng replaced Franziska Kett at left-back, Lena Oberdorf replaced the injured Arianna Caruso in midfield, Alara Şehitler replaced Momoko Tanikawa, and Lea Schuller replaced Pernille Harder up top.
The Bayern XI was as follows:
Mala Grohs (GK) – Giulia Gwinn, Stine Ballisager, Magdalena Eriksson, Katharina Naschenweng – Georgia Stanway, Lena Oberdorf – Linda Dallmann, Alara Şehitler, Lea Schüller, Klara Bühl
The Match
The first chance of the game came in the 4th minute, with a 30-yard shot from Dallmann that crashed into the crossbar. Feeling inspired, Köln’s Anna-Lena Stolze did similar moments later, which Grohs was able to tip over the bar. It seemingly took Bayern by surprise to be under pressure early on, as from that corner, a wicked delivery towards the near post was headed home by an unmarked Sandra Jessen, 0-1.
Having gone ahead early, Köln set up to defend what they had and were able to limit Bayern to few chances. An early response would have been ideal, but Köln held strong. In the only other notable chance, Dallman did well under pressure on the byline near the goal and picked out Alara in the centre of the box, but her resultant shot blazed over the bar.
Bayern were struggling to find their rhythm, and that was about to take another hit. Oberdorf fell to the floor clutching the same knee that had her ACL injury, and was unable to put much pressure on her leg at all as she was hauled off the pitch by the Physios. Momoko Tanikawa came on in her place.
In the 29th minute, Schüller was set off behind the defensive line, lifted the ball over the outrushing Irina Fuchs in goal, but the ball did not have enough purchase to roll over the line before it was cleared. A few minutes later, Bühl fired a dangerous cross into the penalty box, and it was almost redirected into her own net by defender Sara Agrež. From a collision in the box late on in the half, Eriksson suffered a nasty cut to the head. Luckily for Bayern, she was able to be bandaged up and fought on.
Deep into stoppage time, Bayern would get their much desired equaliser. Bühl crossed into the box where Ballisager was there to be able to control and poke it towards Tanikawa, being clattered into as she did so. Tanikawa controlled beautifully, created some space and curled into the far corner, 1-1! To concede just before half-time was a gut-punch for Köln, and the opposite for Bayern.
Bayern came out as if the half had not happened, as they were determined to continue the comeback and use that momentum. Köln started to struggle and as a result their calmness in defence had all but disappeared.
Bayern attempted to take advantage instantly, as Schüller just could not get on the end of a dangerous cross from Bühl. Schüller had another opportunity moments later, after some good work by Alara on the edge of the box. Alara lifted the ball into the Schüller’s path, and her shot was fierce but saved at point-blank range by Fuchs.
Bayern’s attacking dominance ultimately proved too potent for Köln, as they would show they can take a good corner as well! Bühl crossed it toward the back post where a towering Eriksson powered it past a helpless Fuchs, 2-1!
With the lead now established, Köln were unable to contain a rampant Bayern. In the 60th minute, Schüller missed the initial chance to pull it back from the byline for a tap-in for her teammates, but remained calm and cleverly picked out Stanway who was running into the box. She hit it emphatically into the top corner, 3-1!
In the 70th minute, Barcala withdrew Schüller and Bühl for Pernille Harder and Natalia Padilla-Bidas, the latter making her Frauen Bundesliga debut. The changes did not stop Bayern’s momentum though, as from the next attack, Ballisager was on the end of a Stanway long ball to head past Fuchs into the net from close range!
Barcala made his final changes of the evening in the 75th, replacing Gwinn and Dallmann with Tuva Hansen and a returning Jovana Damnjanović. Once again, Bayern had another brilliant chance following the changes as Naschenweng picked out Harder from a deep free-kick, but her header was well saved by Fuchs.
Harder was desperate for a goal, and rounded off the scoring in style with a penalty in the 84th minute, after she herself had been pushed over by veteran defender Marina Hegering.
In the closing stages, and in another worry for Bayern’s medical team, Tuva Hansen limped off in added time following a suspected ankle injury.
Conclusions
To get the win and remain three points clear of Wolfsburg heading into the International break was important, as the start of the season had been somewhat turbulent. Results-wise, the Munich Frauen have failed to win only two games. They have defended well, and shown glimpses of attacking quality. However, drawing at home to Carl Zeiss Jena and suffering a humiliation at the hands of UWCL Finalists FC Barcelona is somewhat damaging to Bayern’s international image.
The more damaging thing for Bayern’s season though could be the sheer volume of injuries. It would be devastating for Lena to suffer yet another injury, and Tuva’s injury did not look great either. Bayern have a reasonably deep squad, but any team would struggle with the sheer quantity of injuries suffered to key players. It was great to see Damnjanovic come back into the side and play some minutes, and hopefully the break can provide a window for players with less serious issues to start coming back in November, and Barcala can use that depth to rotate players like he was able to today. That looks to be necessary in November, with seven games scheduled in just three weeks.
Bayern Frauen’s next fixture is not until November 1st, when they host bottom-placed SGS Essen.
