Bayern Munich 1-0 Arsenal — Women’s Champions League quarter-finals first leg: Initial reactions and observations

Bayern Munich welcome Arsenal FC to Germany for the first leg of their UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finals tie against the English club. As with all UWCL matches, it will be streamed for free live on YouTube! We hope you’ll take the time to enjoy this match with us here at Bavarian Football Works. Kick-off at 1:45pm EST.

Watch via the stream below, or on Youtube.

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Initial reactions and observations:

• There’s the final whistle! Bayern scrape by but survived a number of close calls in the second half.
• 1-0 is a fair result, but an uncomfortable margin. Bayern certainly had their chances to extend this. Will they regret not taking them?
• Stay tuned for some match awards & longer observations!

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• 90+1’ — Emilie Bragstad comes on for Georgia Stanway, a defender for a midfielder. Stanway had taken a knock just now. Three minutes of extra time are ticking down now...Arsenal still on the hunt.

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• 86’ — Oh my! Lohmann plays Damnjanović through and she cuts back to Maxi Rall, who gets 1-on-1 with the Arsenal keeper but sees her shot saved. Nearly the 2-0, again! Meanwhile the reply is instant, and Arsenal find the side netting as Bayern fans gasp.

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• 85’ — Substitution. Lina Magull comes off for Franziska Kett, and it’s only the second change of the game for Bayern.

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• 79’ — Shot! Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord gets into danger position again and fires at goal, this time blocked by Maximiliane Rall. Schüller meanwhile has gone down twice in the last few minutes at the other end of the pitch. Jovana Damnjanović comes on in her place.

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• 70’ — Again off the line!! From a corner, the ball bounces around dangerously for an eternity. Lea Schüller clears off the line and eventually the ball finds its way back to Mala Grohs — through a back-pass, Arsenal players allege, but play goes on.

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• 64’ — Arsenal pile on the heat. A pullback finds its way to Blackstenius at position A1, and the striker’s shot is blocked by Viggósdóttir. An equalizer is in the air...

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• 61’ — Oh my word! Blackstenius heads it past Grohs and it’s definitely heading in — but Saki Kumagai comes in and clears it just off the line! Bayern survive!

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• 60’ — Arsenal have made a change. Dutch midfielder Victoria Pelova makes her Champions League debut as Laura Wienroither makes way.

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• 52’ — Off the post! Caitlin Foord takes an inch of space and uses it to curl a shot past the outstretched arms of Grohs. It’s not as close as it sounds, but bounds off the outside of the post.

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Half-time thoughts and observations:

• Bayern lead deservedly through an excellent header from Lea Schüller. It’s just as well as Arsenal have found ways to put the Bavarians under extended pressure, despite seeming the inferior team.
• A lot of loose passes and shifting energy. Bayern could clean things up a lot better.
• No yellows so far, but the ref might’ve gone to his pocket a couple times.

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45’ — Shot! Schüller sees the ball fall into her path again and she splits the center-backs and fires at goal. It’s a great shot that beats the keeper but bends just past the post!

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39’ — GOALL!!!!! Bayern on top! Schüller takes a deft half-turn to put herself into space and she finds Rall out on the wing. Rall has acres of space to pick out the cross, which Schüller finds herself. The header arcs just over the Arsenal keeper!

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31’ — A lot of balls just slipping through. Both Magull and an Arsenal defender miss, and it falls to Schüller who gets in again and has another crack at it. Easily parried.

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23’ — Shot! Lea Schüller is played in by a long ball and, with a slight opening of space, takes a crack from distance. It’s not too far wide but doesn’t end up on target.

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20’ — Bayern started bright but it’s Arsenal that get in again. Saki Kumagai slides to intercept but the pass is just beyond her, and Blackstenius is in behind. Her cutback is extremely dangerous, and Bayern goalkeeper Mala Grohs does just about enough to handle it.

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10’ — Arsenal dance around Maximiliane Rall on the wing and fire in a cross that reaches the head of Stina Blackstenius. It’s fired way over, though.

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7’ — Arsenal shot deflects off a Bayern defender in the box, with shouts for handball. Definitely hits Glódís Viggósdóttir in the arm, but “clearly in a natural position” according to the commentators. Hmmm, maybe? In any case, play goes on.

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Lineups!

Lina Magull captains the side.

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The Frauen are heading into a crucial period. Within the next ten days, they’ll have played Arsenal twice, and sandwiched in between, a positively pivotal Frauen-Bundesliga league match against table-toppers VfL Wolfsburg. It’s a good thing that Alexander Straus & his team are in fine form, having put away their last two opponents by a combined score of 9-0.

Straus offered the following preview of Arsenal, having been made available for the media in the pre-game festivities along with midfielder Sarah Zadrazil:

He also sang the Zadrazil’s praises, and it looks like the Austrian stalwart will be a key piece in the Bayern midfield in this set of matches.

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Match Info

Location: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany

Time: 1:45pm EST

TV/streaming: YouTube

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