This article written by Matthew Coates
Alex Straus’ rung the changes, making six in total, from the dominant home win against Juventus on Thursday: Tuva Hansen and Linda Sembrant started in place of Giulia Gwinn and Magdalena Eriksson, Julia Zigiotti started in midfield ahead of Sarah Zadrazil, and in attack, Alara Şehitler, Sydney Lohman and Lea Schüller started instead of Linda Dallmann, Klara Bühl and Jovana Damnjanović respectively.
Rotation is a powerful tool, and especially with Arsenal on the horizon, being able to rest key players could prove to be the difference.
The Bayern XI was as follows:
Ena Mahmutovic (GK) – Tuva Hansen, Glódís Viggósdóttir (c), Linda Sembrant, Carolin Simon – Julia Zigiotti, Georgia Stanway – Alara Şehitler, Pernille Harder, Sydney Lohmann, Lea Schüller
Bayern started the day in fourth place in the Bundesliga, with all of the teams around Bayern having already secured wins. With a win in this Fixture, Bayern would return to be joint first alongside Frankfurt and Leverkusen and also leapfrogging Wolfsburg. An important fixture for the Bavarians.
Potsdam came into this with only a point to their name, having received their only point against fellow strugglers Carl Zeiss Jena over a month ago.
Dominant First Half
From the very early stages of the match, it was clear that Bayern would dominate possession. Potsdam had quite clearly been set up to limit chances against this rotated Bayern side. Straus’ side over the past few years have always looked to dominate possession in domestic games, but, as with every top team, occasionally look toothless against a stubborn low block. In the reverse fixture, back on matchday 1, Bayern’s primary scoring opportunities came from dangerous set piece deliveries, and the brace from Sembrant came from corners.
With the crowd behind them, at the campus, Bayern looked to set up open play chances but often lacked that final decisive touch shot that would carve Potsdam open. In fact, the first opportunity that caused Potsdam keeper Vanessa Fischer any concern was a trademark Stanway shot from distance, but it flew over the crossbar.
In the 14th minute, Simon chopped inside the box onto her weaker right foot and struck a shot toward goal, but it deflected off a defender into the centre. Şehitler was there to strike first time, but sliced her volley disappointingly wide.
Bayern’s next chance came in the 23rd, this time from a Zigiotti long shot that was tipped over the bar by Fischer. It was clear at this point that Potsdam had little ambition to venture forward, and were primarily set up to defend. As unfortunately has often been the case this season, Bayern looked a little toothless against such a stubborn low block. In the reverse fixture, Bayern were forced to rely on two set pieces for their goals, scored by the Veteran defender Linda Sembrant. In this game however, even the set pieces were lacking.
However, Simon changed all that pretty emphatically. In the 29th minute, she powerfully struck a freekick from range through the defensive wall and into the back of the net. Fischer made contact with the strike, but ultimately could not stop the strike, 1-0.
It took until the 35th minute for the next chance. A delicate ball was chipped into the box from Lohmann for Schüller to run onto, but her first time cross was expertly closed down by Fischer and deflected for a corner. Had she not been as quick on her feet, Harder would have been completely free to increase the Bayern lead.
The final chance of the half fell to Harder, as a deflected shot by Zigiotti fell to her in the centre of the box, but her effort was poked narrowly wide of the goal.
Comfortable Second Half
Straus made a half-time switch, with Bühl coming on in place of Şehitler. The timing of the substitution suggested that it was pre-planned and agreed upon, in order to rest Bühl before the crucial final game against Arsenal. She was given the second half to continue her rhythm.
Bayern continued in a similar vein to the first half, completely and utterly dominating possession but only having a slender lead to show for their efforts.
Luckily for Bayern however, that quickly changed. In the first real chance of the second half, the ball fell to goalscorer Simon who curled an effort from just inside the box into the top corner, 2-0.
Lohmann was the next player to try her luck from distance, this time the shot was hit with power but lacked the precision to trouble Fischer. Moments later, Lohmann played a clever long ball into Schüller who expertly controlled and poked into the keeper. A superb chance and an equally impressive instinctive save from Fischer.
Straus saw it fit to ring the changes once again, with Damnjanović and Zawistowska replacing Lohmann and Harder. With the second goal, Potsdam were in damage limitation mode and never looked like causing Bayern’s defenders any issues.
In the 64th minute Simon, who could have been on for a hat trick, decided to lift a free kick toward the back post but Viggósdóttir collided with Sembrant and couldn’t generate the power to threaten the goal.
Stanway’s final action before being removed was to play a superb long ball over the top looking for Schüller, but the striker could only produce a weak header which was comfortably gathered by the keeper. Stanway was then replaced by her lookalike, Kerr.
A goalmouth scramble in the 82nd minute inside of the Potsdam penalty area really could have provided the third and put the game beyond doubt, but in truth, it already was.
Straus’ final change was to replace Hansen with Guzmán for her second first team appearance. Important minutes for the talented youngster.
Arsenal Away to End 2024
This game provided the team with an opportunity to rest certain key players ahead of the final game against Arsenal. Having played with a lot of intensity just three days prior, a game like this would have certainly been preferred to a closer encounter. In the end, Potsdam failed to produce a single shot on Mahmutovic’s goal, and finished the game with a meager 18% possession. Maybe the one criticism of the team would have been the lack of real desire and hunger to close down the goal difference gap on Frankfurt. But, a win is a win and points are always valuable.
Bayern are certainly going to be keeping a keen eye on Frankfurt now, with the Frauen drawing Frankfurt at home in the next round of the Pokal. A tough draw, but ultimately to win the Pokal and end Wolfsburg’s impressive 11 year reign, you have to be capable of beating everyone. This domestic season is so incredibly close, and that will ensure for some breathtaking encounters.
Speaking of breathtaking encounters, if Bayern avoid defeat to Arsenal midweek they will finish top of the UWCL group. Arsenal have been on an impressive run since the sacking of manager Jonas Eidevall and under the tutelage of Renée Slegers. With the crowd behind them in a packed out stadium, they will be eager to leapfrog Bayern and secure a potentially easier fixture in the UWCL quarterfinals.
The game has unfortunately been rearranged from the original venue, the 60,000 seater Emirates Stadium, to the slightly less imposing 4,500 capacity stadium Meadow Park. But Bayern will go there knowing anything but a loss will result in them remaining top of the group, so there is everything to play for. Bayern travel to London to face Arsenal on Wednesday Evening.
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