ESSEN, Germany (Interstat) — Bayern Munich Women opened their Frauen-Bundesliga season with a dominant 5-0 victory over SGS Essen on Friday, a match that swung decisively in the opening minutes following a red card to the home side.

Playing before a crowd at Stadion an der Hafenstraße, the visitors established their supremacy almost immediately. Danish star Pernille Harder, entering the match as a substitute, opened the scoring in just the fourth minute, capitalizing on early pressure.

The match’s complexion changed irrevocably in the eighth minute when Essen’s Jaqueline Klasen was shown a straight red card, forcing her side to play with 10 players for the remainder of the contest. Bayern Munich Women capitalized within a minute, as another substitute, Linda Dallmann, found the net in the ninth minute to double the lead.

Facing a numerical disadvantage, Essen organized a defensive effort for much of the match, but could not generate a sustained threat against the reigning champions. The game remained 2-0 until the final 20 minutes, when Bayern Munich Women’s depth and fitness told.

Harder secured her brace in the 71st minute, effectively putting the result beyond doubt. The final stages saw further punishment for the tiring hosts. Substitute Natalia Padilla-Bidas added a fourth goal in the 88th minute, and Edna Imade completed the rout with the fifth goal moments later. Defender Paula Flach, who received a yellow card in the 50th minute, was credited with an assist on the afternoon.

The comprehensive victory aligned with pre-match projections, though it exceeded the margin. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 3-0 Bayern Munich Women win, and the organization’s ELO rating system gave the visitors a 99.40 percent probability of victory.

With the result, Bayern Munich Women begin their Bundesliga campaign with a record of one win and no losses. SGS Essen starts its season with one loss. Across all competitions this season, Bayern Munich Women now hold a record of one win and no losses, while SGS Essen stands at no wins and one loss.

The match underscored Bayern Munich Women’s status as the team to beat in Germany, demonstrating a ruthless ability to exploit an opponent’s misfortune and the potent scoring options available from their bench. For SGS Essen, the early dismissal proved an insurmountable obstacle against one of the world’s premier club sides.