The defender’s 86th minute strike was enough for a point against the German champions and completed a gutsy comeback in Bavaria.
We fell two goals behind inside the opening 30 minutes through Giulia Gwinn’s smart finish and a Kerstin Casparij own goal, but Beth Mead provided a lifeline on the brink of half-time with her first City strike.
Bunny Shaw also saw a penalty saved in a pulsating second half but, after surviving some scares from the German champions, Wamser’s late intervention deservedly earned us a share of the spoils.
WHAT HAPPENED
City knew we’d been handed a difficult return to Champions League action at last season’s semi-finalists, and were put under serious pressure in the early exchanges.
Bayern boasted an imperious 15-match unbeaten home record at this stage in the competition ahead of kick-off, and they made that advantage count when Gwinn fired home the opener on the counter attack.
The Blues were under the cosh but still fighting hard, with Lauren Hemp seeing a cross deflected onto the top of the crossbar, but the hosts continued to cause problems at the other end.
And in the next attack, a dangerous ball across the face of goal from the right was unfortunately deflected into the net by Casparij as she attempted to clear the danger.
Undeterred by that tough start, City fought back to halve the deficit on the stroke of half-time when Mead tapped home from close range after Bayern failed to clear from an initial shot from Bunny Shaw.
After weathering a brief Bayern storm, City were handed a great chance to level the tie on the hour mark when Aoba Fujino was felled by Bayern goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic inside the area.
But the Bayern stopper redeemed herself, guessing right to deny Shaw from 12 yards.
Mary Fowler, Laura Blindkilde Brown and Grace Clinton were brought on in the next passage of play, and provided City with fresh impetus heading into the final half-hour.
As the legs tired and spaces opened up, we were beginning to carve open scoring chances, with Fujino seeing an effort deflect just wide of the post.
But we’d get our just rewards when Germany international Wamser ghosted in down the left and curled home at the death to see it end 2-2.
In testament to the efforts both sides had put in to a classic Champions League encounter, there was still time for chances at both ends.
Bayern could even have nicked it at the death when substitute Edna Imade twice went close, but couldn’t find the target on either occasion.
MARATHON NOT A SPRINT
Bayern Munich are no easy team to kickstart your League Phase campaign against, but City managed to bring something back to Manchester.
Their strength, clinical edge and body-to-body marking make it difficult for any team to implement a game plan, and they’ll be hoping to go deep into the competition again after reaching last year’s semi-finals.
It will certainly be a key learning opportunity for City and our future European endeavours but for now, a point provides the perfect stepping stone to build from.
DEBUTS
In what was a special moment for the boss as he led City out in the Champions League for the first time in a night full of European debuts.
Jade Rose, Sam Coffey, Carlotta Wamser and Grace Clinton all tallied their first-ever set of Champions League minutes with the Club.
Of the four players though, Wamser will likely remember it most fondly after sealing a point for the Blues.
HOW WE LINED UP
Bayern Munich XI | Mahmutovic, Gilles, Viggosdottir, Gwinn, Damnjanovic (Zadrazil 70’), Dallmann, Amani (Imade 79’), Buhl, Tanikawa, Kett, Harder.
Subs | Klink, Ballisager, Potsi, Mattner, Alara, Naschenweng, Proost, Dunst, Kappes.
City XI | Yamashita, Casparij, Rose, Greenwood (C), Wamser, Coffey (Blindkilde Brown 63’), Hasegawa, Fujino, Mead (Clinton 75’), Hemp, Shaw (Fowler 63’)
Subs | Cumings, Moorhouse, Prior, Lewis, Burdon.
AS A RESULT
City fight to earn an important point in our first League Phase fixture of 2026/27.
UP NEXT
We will return to England and begin instantly preparing for another away game.
We travel to newly promoted Charlton Athletic on Saturday 26 September, with kick-off set for 13:30 (UK).
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