As expected, the women of SGS Essen lost to Bundesliga leaders FC Bayern Munich. But dream goal scorer Ramona Maier is hopeful.

It was a clash of opposites. The contrasts could not have been more striking. Undefeated league leaders FC Bayern Munich welcomed winless bottom-of-the-table SGS Essen. Although Bayern won 4-1 as expected, there was initially a cold shower, a small surprise.

Essen’s Ramona Maier saw that Maria-Luisa Grohs was standing too far in front of her goal, took a chance and simply shot from a greater distance – and the ball promptly ended up in the net (2nd minute).

“With the way Bayern build up, the keeper is always quite far forward. I knew that,” Maier told MagentaSport about the situation before Essen’s 1-0 lead. “Behind me, they signaled that I should shoot, so I put the ball down and just took a shot.”

And even though Maier’s dream goal against the league leaders only caused a brief surprise – the game was ultimately lost 1-4 – it can still have a big impact on the SGS women. “It gives us a lot of hope that we’re taking the lead for the first time this season,” Maier explains. “That we’re scoring a goal. That we’re generally holding our own despite conceding four goals. Even if the result doesn’t reflect that.“

After Robert Augustin was sacked, the atmosphere in the team is better under interim coach Jessica Wissmann. Baier on the effect of the new coach: ”The mood is better, we believe in ourselves again, we’re regaining our confidence. In small individual actions in training, in small individual actions in the game.”

Former Essen player Lea Schüller with her 100th goal in an FCB jersey

Lea Schüller, who played for SGS Essen for seven years from 2013 to 2020, scored two goals against her former club in Bayern’s 4-1 win. They were her 99th and 100th goals for FC Bayern Munich. Schüller on this impressive milestone: “I’m very happy about it. It’s a milestone. Of course it means something to me.”