Paulina Tomasiak scores twice as Bayern edge Leverkusen

Paulina Tomasiak produced her standout performance yet for Bayer Leverkusen, scoring twice in a narrow Frauen-Bundesliga defeat to Bayern Munich as the reigning champions were pushed deep into the contest before finding a late winner.

Tomasiak continues strong start in Germany

The Poland international moved to Leverkusen in July after impressing for Gornik Leczna and the national team, signing a two-year contract with the club. She has settled quickly into one of the strongest leagues in women’s football and has already established herself in the side after Leverkusen finished fifth in the Bundesliga last season.

Her early appearances came from the bench, but a winning goal against Hoffenheim in the third round convinced head coach Roberto Pätzold to trust her from the start in one of the toughest fixtures on the calendar. Bayern arrived as the dominant force in the division, having won the German title in each of the previous four seasons.

Leverkusen punish Bayern despite early pressure

Bayern controlled much of the opening phase, but Leverkusen stayed in the game and made one of their few attacking moments count before the break. A free-kick from around 20 metres gave Tomasiak her chance, and her effort found the net after taking a deflection off an opponent.

That goal gave the home side a surprise advantage and, for a spell, the possibility of an upset felt real. Bayern responded soon after the restart, with Vanessa Gilles equalising in the 51st minute, but Leverkusen hit back almost immediately through Tomasiak again.

After winning possession in Bayern’s half following a misplaced pass, Leverkusen worked the ball to the Polish forward near the edge of the area. She drove into the box and finished decisively to restore the home side’s lead and underline her growing influence.

Bayern’s quality tells late on

Even so, Bayern eventually showed why they remain the benchmark in Germany. Edna Imade brought the visitors level again in the 68th minute, before Alara Sehitler scored the decisive goal in the 88th minute to spare the champions a costly slip.

The result leaves Bayern second in the table with a perfect points return, behind Wolfsburg only on goal difference. Leverkusen, with two wins and two defeats, sit in mid-table, though they have already faced both of the league’s leading powers.

A breakthrough campaign taking shape

For Leverkusen, the defeat will still carry encouragement given how close they came to a major result. For Tomasiak, it was another significant step in an impressive start to life in Germany.

She is now Leverkusen’s leading scorer with three goals, and this display against Bayern suggested her impact could become one of the stories of the club’s season.