Bayern W stay perfect as Gwinn and Gilles see off Mainz
| Klara Bühl and Jovana Damnjanović celebrate the former's goal against VfL Wolfsburg, 15. August 2026. | (Photo by Jasmin Walter / Getty Images) |
Bayern Munich made it two wins from two in the Frauen-Bundesliga on Monday, seeing off newly promoted Mainz 2–0 at the FC Bayern Campus.
The champions were in control for most of the afternoon, keeping Mainz pinned back and rarely allowing the visitors to settle. Bayern had 74% of the ball and finished with 25 shots compared to Mainz's five, a reflection of just how one-sided the contest was.
Still, the breakthrough took a while to arrive.
It finally came in the 38th minute when Giulia Gwinn found the back of the net, giving Bayern the lead they had been pushing for and sending them in front at halftime.
Mainz came out after the break with little choice but to defend, while Bayern continued to patiently work their way through the visitors' shape. The second goal refused to come fast enough and Mainz deserve credit for making Bayern work for it.
There was also a welcome sight for Bayern fans in the 64th minute.
Lena Oberdorf came off the bench for Bernadette Amani, marking a major step in her return from a second ACL injury. After so much time away from competitive football even a half-hour cameo felt significant.
Gwinn's return was another positive. The Germany international was back in the starting XI after recovering from the shoulder injury that cut short her previous campaign and she made her comeback count with the opening goal.
Mainz continued to hold but Bayern finally put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time.
Vanessa Gilles struck in the 91st minute to make it 2–0, sealing Bayern's second clean sheet of the campaign and ensuring there would be no late drama.
The result keeps Bayern's perfect start alive following their 4–1 win over Union Berlin on the opening weekend. With another title defence underway, the early signs have been encouraging for the reigning champions.
For Mainz, it was a tough welcome to the Frauen-Bundesliga. After earning promotion through back-to-back campaigns, they found themselves up against a Bayern side that simply refused to give them much room to breathe.
Bayern's next test comes at home against SC Freiburg on September 6, while Mainz will be looking for a response in their next league outing.
