By SCM Sports Writer
GERMANY was the place to be last night as Bayern Munich turned up the heat at their state-of-the-art FC Bayern Campus, dismantling Vaalerenga in a 3-0 masterclass.
While the Allianz Arena usually grabs the headlines, the club’s boutique 2,500-capacity Campus stadium proved to be the perfect pressure cooker for the visiting Norwegians.
Under the glow of the floodlights in northern Munich, the German giants showed exactly why their purpose-built “talents factory” is becoming a fortress for the women’s game.
It took just ten minutes for the home side to find their groove on the lush Bavarian turf. Pernille Harder — no stranger to scoring big goals on the European stage — broke the deadlock with a clinical finish that had the sell-out crowd on their feet.
Before Vaalerenga could even catch their breath in the brisk Munich air, they were two down. Giulia Gwinn stepped up to the spot in the 17th minute, nervelessly slotting home a penalty to double the advantage.
The visitors, looking every bit the Champions League debutants, struggled to cope with the slick, high-speed passing game that has become synonymous with the FC Bayern Campus.
The second half was a story of game management, but Bayern weren’t finished. As the clock ticked into stoppage time, Sarah Zadrazil put the icing on the cake, firing home a third to ensure the scoreline reflected the hosts’ total dominance.
The win keeps Bayern’s perfect record in Group C intact and further cements the FC Bayern Campus as one of the most intimidating “small” grounds in Europe.
For Vaalerenga, it was a harsh lesson in the shadows of the Alps: when you come to the Campus, you’d better be ready to play.
