Munich Secures Crucial Points in the Title Race

Photo credit: FC Bayern Munich

FC Bayern Munich claimed a hard-fought 3-1 victory over TSG Hoffenheim, collecting valuable points in the battle for the championship. With both Leverkusen and Wolfsburg dropping points after drawing their matches, Bayern temporarily moved to the top of the table. 

Lineups

TSG Hoffenheim started with a 4-2-3-1 formation, making four changes compared to their 3-0 win against Freiburg. Selina Cerci replaced Melissa Kössler as the lone striker, while Fabienne Dongus came in for Vanessa Diehm in midfield. Jamilla Rankin replaced Lisann Kaut at left-back, and Michelle Weiß took the place of the ill Jill Janssens, who had scored twice against Freiburg, at right-back.

FC Bayern Munich mirrored Hoffenheim’s formation with a 4-2-3-1 setup. Compared to their narrow 1-0 victory against Leipzig, head coach Alexander Straus made two adjustments: Tuva Hansen replaced the ill Magdalena Eriksson in central defense, while Jovana Damnjanović started as the central striker in place of Lea Schüller. Additionally, Sarah Zadrazil returned to the bench after recovering from a muscle injury.

First Half

Both teams started well, with Hoffenheim pressing high and forcing Bayern to play out from the back. The visitors remained composed, patiently building their attacks. In the 8th minute, Giulia Gwinn and Jovana Damnjanović combined with a one-two from their own box to Hoffenheim’s penalty area, but Gwinn’s shot went wide.

Bayern repeatedly broke through on the right side, with Gwinn firing over the crossbar from the edge of the box in the 15th minute. However, the best chance so far fell to Hoffenheim. After a Bayern attack, the hosts launched a swift counter, with Selina Cerci holding off her marker before Julia Hickelsberger unleashed a powerful long-range shot. Bayern goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic managed to tip the ball onto the crossbar.

In the 25th minute, Hoffenheim took the lead. Dominika Grabowska struck from just outside the box, sending an unstoppable shot into the top left corner. However, Bayern remained unfazed and continued to play with patience. In the 34th minute, Gwinn delivered a precise cross into the box, where Pernille Harder flicked it on with her head. Klara Bühl controlled the ball with her thigh before volleying it into the net for the equalizer.

Both teams created further chances, but the score remained 1-1 at halftime.

Second Half

Bayern came out with high intensity after the break. In the 50th minute, Harder fired a shot over the bar. Two minutes later, Hoffenheim goalkeeper Laura Dick made an impressive save against Damnjanović before denying a powerful header from Bühl in the 54th minute.

Hoffenheim continued to pose a threat, as Mahmutovic was called into action again in the 56th minute, making a crucial save against substitute Melissa Kössler. Despite this, Bayern gradually took control of the match and created more scoring opportunities.

The breakthrough came in the 74th minute. Carolin Simon played a well-timed pass to Klara Bühl, who squared the ball into the box. Lea Schüller intelligently let it pass, and 18-year-old Alara Şehitler calmly slotted it home from the edge of the area to make it 2-1.

From then on, Bayern dominated proceedings. In the 82nd minute, Dick produced another excellent save to deny Bühl, but in the 90th minute, Harder sealed the victory. After an assist from Schüller, the Danish striker found the net to secure a 3-1 win for the visitors.

Substitutions

Hoffenheim: Melissa Kössler for Julia Hickelsberger (46'), Vanessa Diehm for Fabienne Dongus (61'), Marie Steiner for Féli Delacauw (75'), Sara Ritter for Michelle Weiß (84'), Napsugár Sinka for Selina Cerci (84')

Bayern: Alara Şehitler for Linda Dallmann (46'), Sarah Zadrazil for Julia Zigiotti Olme (63'), Lea Schüller for Jovana Damnjanović (64'), Arianna Caruso for Sydney Lohmann (90'+1), Momoko Tanikawa for Pernille Harder (90'+1)

Match Statistics

Bayern dominated possession with 67.2%, limiting Hoffenheim’s control of the game. Despite this, Hoffenheim remained competitive and created several chances. Bayern registered 17 total shots compared to Hoffenheim’s 14, with the visitors also leading in shots on target by a narrow 8-7 margin. This demonstrated that, despite Bayern’s overall dominance, Hoffenheim was consistently dangerous in attack.