Schüller reaches century of goals in dramatic Bayern win | OneFootball

FC Bayern Frauen had a night to forget in their first Champions League game of the season. Still, they returned to winning ways over the weekend with a big win in the Frauen-Bundesliga away at Wolfsburg before hosting Juventus.

And, José Antonio Barcala's side did start this one positively as well. Klara Bühl has been in superb form in the early season, and she created four chances for her teammates inside the first 15 minutes.

Pernille Harder failed to hit the target from close range in the first of those, but she headed home the winger’s delivery in the 11th minute for her maiden goal of the season. When Momoko Tanikawa came very close to doubling Bayern’s lead, it felt like Bayern had a real chance to fix their goal difference.

However, Juventus scored with their first shot of the game when Eva Schatzer scored from a direct free-kick in the 17th minute. The hosts still managed to assert their dominance with 10 attempts in the first 25 minutes.

As ever, Bühl was involved in everything, including her first shot with a header before setting up another clear-cut chance for Harder. The visitors, then, kept the Frauen-Bundesliga leaders at bay for nearly the remainder of the first-half.

With only a minute before the end of the first 45 minutes, Georgia Stanway rattled the crossbar with her second attempt from outside the box. It was the second time Bayern hit the woodwork as Tanikawa was denied in the same manner when they were in the leading position. Bayern enjoyed the majority of the possession and chances, but they went into the half-time break with the score tied at 1-1.

It only took Bayern five minutes after the restart to not convert an absolute sitter. Back to her full fitness, the attack-minded fullback Giulia Gwinn delivered a perfect cross for Bühl, but the all-rounded attacker hit the side-netting when she was millimeters away from the goal.

Barcala then decided to put Harder in a #10 role, with Lea Schüller introduced in place of Tanikawa. The 34-year-old striker only needs one strike to reach a century of goals in Bayern colors, but she didn’t start the new campaign in good form.

Shortly after, Bayern lost another key player as Italian international Arianna Caruso had to be subbed off for a shoulder injury. On the other end, the iconic striker Cristiana Girelli entered for the last half an hour. Juventus were happy to return home with a point, while Bayern failed to maintain their energetic start to the game.

As the game entered the final ten minutes, the hosts were in the territory where they hoped for a fortuitous break like Wolfsburg had yesterday against Vålerenga. And, somehow, that did happen as Schüller scored the winner with her 100th Bayern goal in the 95th minute, with her smart finish needing a lengthy VAR check.

Including a home match against Köln before the international break, Bayern will have four Frauen-Bundesliga duels before facing defending champions Arsenal in their next Champions League fixture.

Like Bayern, Renée Slegers’ side secured their first win of the revised Champions League format thanks to second-half goals in Benfica. Meanwhile, since Leverkusen dropped two points in the rescheduled derby in Köln tonight, Bayern’s three-point lead remains intact in the league.