Bayern Remain Six Clear At The Top | OneFootball

Following their disappointing UWCL exit, Bayern returned to Bundesliga action on Sunday hosting Bayer Leverkusen.

This article written by Matthew Coates

Head Coach Alexander Straus made four changes from the match in Lyon on Wednesday. Mahmutovic was rotated back in goal, Glódís returned as captain in the heart of defence, Zadrazil replaced Damnjanović allowing Lohmann to push forward, and Alara started ahead of the injured Tanikawa.

The Bayern XI was as follows:

Ena Mahmutovic (GK) – Giulia Gwinn, Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir (c), Magdalena Eriksson, Carolin Simon – Sarah Zadrazil, Julia Zigiotti – Sydney Lohmann, Alara Şehitler, Klara Bühl, Pernille Harder

Bayern were given the opportunity to respond after their midweek UWCL exit, as well as to respond to title-chasers Frankfurt’s win against Bremen. Their lead had been slashed to three, so Bayern could not rest on their laurels despite the significant expenditure of energy over the last few weeks.

Leverkusen’s last competitive game was two weeks prior after they were knocked out of the Pokal by Bremen themselves in the last round and did not qualify for Europe. They were a team that were fit and ready to face the challenge, and after the last match between these two sides, they showed they were capable of causing Bayern problems.

Tight First Half

Bayern would have wanted to show a reaction after being convincingly knocked out of Europe in midweek, but early on it was clear that it would not be straightforward. At points in this season, Leverkusen were able to keep up in the title race, and despite falling off the pace as of recently, there was clear evidence that they are one of the best teams in German Women’s football.

It was a game of margins, with Bayern edging possession and control, but were certainly aware of the threat of Leverkusen’s attackers. Current Bayern loanee Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir was among the starting XI for the Werkself.

It took until the 15th minute for the first Bayern chance though, as Leverkusen stood strong and defended well, limiting Bayern to half-chances for most of the match. A cross from Bühl on the left hand side was initially headed away from danger, but it only went as far as Zigiotti. She was in space on the edge of the box, took a touch and volleyed it, but it sailed narrowly past Repohl’s goal.

Lohmann was denied a penalty in the 23rd minute after she was trodden on by Ostermeier, but the defender also got a touch on the ball before doing so. After clearing their lines, they then went on an attack of their own. Karolina Lea was on the ball, and threaded a pass in behind Bayern’s defence for former Bayern player Kristin Kögel, whose shot was destined for the far corner if not for a wonderful save by Mahmutovic.

The Bayern goalkeeper clearly wasn’t the only one on the pitch capable of making spectacular saves. In the 31st minute, a driving run down the right by Gwinn created space for a cross to the back post. Harder managed to ghost in between the two defenders and produce a powerful header down into the ground, but Repohl reacted extremely well and prevented the Dane from extending her excellent domestic scoring record in recent weeks.

Bayern were clearly desperate to not go into Half-Time at 0-0, but Leverkusen remained strong defensively. In the 42nd minute, Simon crossed into the box and it was headed away high into the air, but only as far as Bühl. She controlled well, created space and shot, but at such a tight angle it flew over the bar.

The final chance of the first half was another Harder header from another Gwinn cross, but this time the Dane did not get the contact she was hoping for and it ballooned over the goal.

Clinical Second Half

The second half started the same as the first ended, with Bayern maintaining the majority of possession, but chances were lacking for both sides. Straus clearly wasn’t pleased with the initial stages, and reacted with a double change in the 55th minute – Schüller and Kett came on for Lohmann and Simon.

Straus’ changes would be immediately rewarded, as Zadrazil cleared from a Leverkusen attack down the right hand side for Schüller to run onto. She dribbled past her marker and drove deep into Leverkusen territory, laying off the ball for Harder. She played Bühl in space on the left, who managed to dance her way past her marker and rifle a shot on her supposed weaker left foot into the far bottom corner, 1-0! A moment of brilliance from a Player that German National Team head coach Christian Wück described as ‘the most two-footed player I have ever worked with’.

Bayern were in a similar position to midweek having gone one goal up due to a moment of magic from Bühl, so Bayern were aware of the danger that Leverkusen could pose if the momentum shifted. They remained professional and composed, attempting to limit and prevent any clear Leverkusen chances, and they did so well.

In the 68th minute, Bayern would get the second goal that they wanted as a buffer. Alara played a delicate ball in behind the Leverkusen defence for Bühl to run onto, but she was forced further out wide. She turned to face her marker, and produced a brilliant cross into the Leverkusen box, where Schüller was somehow unmarked and able to head it past Repohl, 2-0! Schüller would certainly have been surprised to see how much space she was in, but duly took advantage and Bayern had the two-goal cushion they were looking for.

In the 77th minute, Straus made a double change, replacing the ever-presents in his team Harder and Bühl with Caruso and Dallmann. His final change came moments later, replacing Glódís with Ulbrich.

Bayern had a few half chances in the tail end of the match, spurred on by chants of ‘Deutscher Fußball Meister, FCB’. Alara was on corner taking duties, and whipped in a dangerous cross in the 85th which somehow bounced in the 6-yard box without any touch from either side before going behind for a goal-kick. Zigiotti and Ulbrich were closest, but nothing came of it.

Alara had another chance in the 89th, this time for herself on a counter, but her shot was deflected wide by a defender. In the 93rd minute, Caruso had a chance and volleyed it toward goal, but it went wide, and the full-time whistle blew moments later.

Domestic Test – Passed?

Bayern will be more than happy to regain the six-point gap over second placed Frankfurt before the meeting immediately after the international break. It means that Frankfurt will be under pressure to produce an attacking performance and go for the win, which will leave space for Bayern’s technical and proficient attackers.

The performance today was not spectacular by any stretch, but it was professional, considered and effective. And after the disappointment in midweek, that is what was required. Bayern are now on course to secure a first-ever domestic double, and a third consecutive league title win, and that could not be said for sure before this extremely busy period. Bayern played a number of tough games recently, and fought adversity, suffering injuries to key players but managing to come through the vast majority unscathed domestically has been really great to see.

But Frankfurt awaits, and if Bayern avoid defeat you would feel pretty good about them going on to secure the title. A match of great importance then, but Bayern have shown they are more than capable of producing performances in big games at least domestically, which gives hope and belief in the team for the final stages of the season. Bayern’s first game after the international break is away to Frankfurt at the Deutsche Bank Park on Saturday 12th April.