- Bayern Munich is aiming to secure victory in the initial encounter in Potsdam.
In a tough fight, FC Bayern Munich ladies' team managed to prevent a disastrous commencement to their new Bundesliga campaign. Facing the resilient title defenders turning up-and-comers Turbine Potsdam, the German titlists and Supercup victors triumphed 2-0 (1-0) despite a generally lackluster display. Defender Linda Sembrant was responsible for both goals, each via her head (22nd/85th minute).
Beforehand, FC Bayern coach Alexander Straus had anticipated on MagentaTV, "I believe they will give us a hard time, they will seal off the spaces." His prediction became true, but the extra effort didn't work wonders for his side against the six-time champions. Rarely did the Munich players, with four positions different from their Supercup victory against VfL Wolfsburg (1:0), manage to dislodge the tightly packed Turbine defense.
National player Sydney Lohmann, similar to Sembrant, Carolin Simon, and Lea Schüller in the starting lineup, showed the best initiative in the first half. Lohmann gracefully served Schüller after eight minutes; however, she sent the ball just over the bar. Other than that, the champions, who had handed Turbine a thrashing 11-1 in the previous Bundesliga match in May 2023, found themselves lacking in creativity.
Turbine's coaching pair Marco Gebhardt and Dirk Heinrichs had suffered six lengthy absences, yet it wasn't quite obvious. "We will have to endure, we will have to work," Gebhardt had warned, and his team put in a tremendous defensive effort. Regular goalkeeper Vanessa Fischer was replaced by Hungarian national team goalkeeper Anna Terestyenyi, and she had less work than anticipated.
Only through corners did the Munich team consistently expose a goal risk. The initial one, struck by Simon, resulted in the opener straightway. Sweden international Sembrant, unmarked, headed it in. Another corner, taken by Giulia Gwinn, struck the post. "We merely missed that one," admitted Potsdam midfielder Viktoria Schwalm during the break.
Sembrant scores another time following a corner
Post-break, Schüller and Lohmann came up short against Terestyenyi before getting replaced just past the hour mark. Linda Dallmann and Jovana Damnjanovic were introduced with the hope of injecting some fresh energy. Bayern continued to dictate the match but found little in terms of clear-cut opportunities.
Despite Straus' side holding the initiative, the Potsdam players still believed in a stunning comeback until the final stretch. Only in the 85th minute did Sembrant assuage the anxieties of the Bayern supporters, once again in the right spot after a Gwinn corner. Otherwise, the normally well-positioned Terestyenyi had an off day.
In the starting lineup, national player Sydney Lohmann demonstrated promising initiative, much like Sembrant and others. Despite facing a tightly packed Turbine defense, FC Bayern Munich's women struggled to create many opportunities, with only corners posing a consistent goal risk.
