Bayern Munich beats Hoffenheim 3-1 thanks to Lea Schüller doppelpack

Two goals from Lea Schüller helped boost Bayern Munich to their fifth straight win to open the Frauen Bundesliga season. The 3-1 victory over Hoffenheim was a nice way to rebound following the club’s midweek draw with Benfica in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

Match Highlights

After a back and forth first half, Bayern struck first through Schüller. Just before halftime, Giulia Gwinn recovered a loose ball on the sideline and whipped a cross into the box. Schüller got to the ball first and skipped her header to the far post and into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead.

Bayern’s second came at the hour mark thanks to immense pressure. Hoffenheim were unable to pass the ball successfully out of the back, and Linda Dallmann pounced. She drew out the keeper before squaring a pass over to Schüller for the tap-in goal.

In the 76th minute, Nicole Billa scored a superb strike to pull one back for Hoffenheim. The goal was the first that Bayern have conceded in all competitions this season. For Billa, she’s had a slow start to the season after being crowned the Bundesliga’s top scorer last season. This was her fourth goal of the season in all competitions; however, three of those have come in the last week alone. It looks like she’s heating up.

Bayern sealed the match in stoppage time. Jovana Damnjanovic tried to shoot around the goalkeeper on a breakaway, but the ball was blocked into the path of Lineth Beerensteyn who knocked it in to give the Bavarians the 3-1 win.

See the full match highlights here.

Squad

Some great news for Bayern in this match was the return of Kristin Demann. The defender hasn’t played in a league game since October 2020 due to injury, but she came on in stoppage time of this one to officially mark her return to the Bundesliga.

Otherwise, Jens Scheuer pretty much played a full strength squad in this match as Hoffenheim are always a tough opponent. He opted for speed on the wings with Beerensteyn and Viviane Asseyi got the start out wide in the 4-1-4-1.

Bayern XI: Benkarth – Glas, Viggósdóttir, Kumagai, Gwinn – Zadrazil – Beerensteyn, Magull (90.+2 Demann), Dallmann, Asseyi (81.Rall) – Schüller (88. Damnjanović)

Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images

Table and Next Match

Bayern have maintained their two point lead over Wolfsburg at the top of the table after five matches and three points after third place Bayer Leverkusen and fourth place Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Bavarians take the field again in the Champions League on Thursday when they host BK Häcken. At the weekend, Bayern will travel to face Eintracht Frankfurt for the last match before the Frauen head into the women’s international break.

Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images