Bayern Munich's remarkable winning streak comes to an end following a surprising double defeat
In the head-to-head clash of the Women's Bundesliga, VfL Wolfsburg snatches a significant victory: Facing off against FC Bayern Munich, the Wolves claw their way back into the title race contest. The reigning champs endure two early disadvantages and fail to recuperate.
Title chase exclamation points: The VfL Wolfsburg women's football squad put an end to Bayern Munich's consecutive victories, handing their longtime enemy their first loss in two years. Coach Tommy Stroot's squad emerged victorious with a 2-0 (1-0) scoreline this past Saturday. Wolfsburg had previously gone undefeated in 44 Bundesliga games.
Vivien Endemann (5') and Lineth Beerensteyn (67') glorified the Wolfsburg scoreboard, casting shadows over Bayern's previously unblemished title march. The Munich squad last suffered a league loss in October 2022, once again at Wolfsburg (1-2).
With the triumph, Wolfsburg narrowed the gap to the defending champions to just two points. On Monday (6:00 PM), Eintracht Frankfurt (13 points) might snatch the lead from Bayern in the standings, if they manage to conquer SC Freiburg.
Through their 5-2 victory against Arsenal in the Champions League, Bayern enhanced their morale, however, a stumbling block arose for Wolfsburg with a 0-1 defeat to AS Roma. Stroot acknowledged Bayern as favorites but vowed that his team would leave everything on the field to secure the victory. Munich boss Alexander Straus cited "a massive challenge" but expressed faith in his squad.
Bayern pressures, Wolfsburg scores
At home, the Wolfsburg squad maintained its composure and attained a reward swiftly: A wayward pass from the Munich team wound up in Endemann's foot, who netted from the edge of the box to put Wolfsburg ahead. VfL goalkeeper Merle Frohms then thwarted a cross attempt from Klara Bühl (7').
Scarcely a breath later, a dangerous moment unfolded for Bayern, as Jovana Damnjanovic stumbled into Wolfsburg defender Marina Hegering. Damnjanovic was subsequently removed from play and taken off the field on a stretcher after undergoing several treatment sessions.
Post the panic, Munich put in an effort to gain control of the game, with Linda Dallmann entering the fray. However, Pernille Harder missed the opportunity to equalize (34'). Both teams continued to search for openings throughout the second half, with the game remaining lively. Beerensteyn contributed to the Wolfsburg tally following a corner. Late in the game, Frohms parried a shot from Harder onto the crossbar (89'). The crowd erupted with chants of "Take off their Lederhosen" thereafter.
It's incredible how VfL Wolfsburg managed to turn the tables against Bayern Munich, handing them their first loss in 2 years. The Wolves' 2-0 victory narrowed the gap between the two teams in the title race.
