FCB Women celebrate eighth straight win at Duisburg

FC Bayern Women came from behind to win 5-1 at MSV Duisburg in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga on Sunday evening, maintaining their unbeaten run and lead at the top of the table. Taryn Ries put the hosts in front shortly before half-time on Matchday 18 at the Schauinsland-Reisen-Arena, but head coach Alexander Straus' side moved up a gear in the second half and turned the game around. After the equaliser from Giulia Gwinn, Georgia Stanway made it 2-1 shortly after before Magdalena Eriksson and substitutes Jovana Damnjanović and Sydney Lohmann increased the score to 5-1. The margin of victory could've been even higher, with Bayern hitting the woodwork five times.

Thanks to the eighth win in a row, the Munich girls still have a comfortable seven-point lead over closest rivals VfL Wolfsburg (41 points) with four matchdays left.

Straus: 'Pleased with the second half'

After the game, Straus gave his thoughts: "I'm very pleased with the second half. We addressed a few things in no uncertain terms at half-time and did better after that. We were a bit surprised at the start and expected a different approach from Duisburg. Nevertheless, we created a lot of chances but were a bit sloppy in our finishing."

Eriksson and Dallmann recalled

Straus made two changes to his starting line-up from the 4-2 win on penalties in the DFB Cup semi-final against Eintracht Frankfurt. Eriksson started at left-back in place of the injured Katharina Naschenweng (knee), while Linda Dallmann was preferred to Damnjanović in atacking midfield. Tainara and Alara Şehitler both missed the trip due to illness.

Narrow half-time deficit

The visitors started well and assumed control of the game. Stanway provided the first threatening moment in the 11th minute with a shot from distance, but goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic turned the ball onto the bar. Four minutes later, Duisburg had a double dose of luck as Lea Schüller first headed against the post before Dallmann also hit the woodwork with the follow-up attempt. Bayern continued to dictate proceedings but lacked the final accuracy. The hosts, in contrast, had more joy with their finishing and Ries beat goalkeeper Maria Luisa Grohs somewhat fortuitously from a tight angle in the 42nd minute to make it 1-0 at the break.

Strong second half

The champions came out of the dressing room strongly and deservedly levelled the score just four minutes after the restart. Klara Bühl whipped the ball into the danger area from the left and although Mahmutovic was able to parry the deflected ball from centre-back Vanessa Fürst, Gwinn was in the right place to bundle in the equaliser. Moments later, Stanway buried the ball into the corner from the edge of the area to give Bayern the lead – and they weren't done there. Schüller could've scored the third goal but again the post was in the way. Eriksson was more precise in the 63rd minute, when she headed in Bühl's free-kick. The ball struck the woodwork for the fifth time soon after that, Gwinn going close this time. In the closing stages, substitutes Damnjanović with a chip and Lohmann with a close-range finish got on the scoresheet to complete a 5-1 victory.

Bremen and then off to Leverkusen

The German record champions' women's team continue their league campaign on Monday 22 April with a home fixture against SV Werder Bremen. Kick-off at the FC Bayern Campus is at 19:30 CEST. After a weekend without any matches, the Munich girls travel to Bayer 04 Leverkusen on Saturday 4 May (12:00 CEST).