UWCL Round Two Round-Up: Part One
Last night, seven teams booked their place in the Champions League group stage. There were 26 goals across the seven fixtures and some expected results as well as surprises.
Glasgow City (2) 1-2 (3) Servette
After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Glasgow City took the lead when Priscila Chinchilla raced onto Clare Shine’s clever flick-on and the Costa Rica international made no mistake and calmly slotted the ball home. Jade Boho Sayo equalised just before half-time when the visitors were awarded an indirect-free kick six yards out after the referee deemed there was a pass back in the area. Sandy Maendly laid the ball off for Jade to smash into the roof of the net. Maendly got herself a goal just after half-time, when she was in the right place at the right time, to head home from just a couple of yards out after the ball had rebounded off the crossbar. Servette held on to advance to the Group Stage.
Lyon (4) 2-1 (2) Levante
The goals did not flow until the second half in this encounter, but when they did there were three goals in four minutes, and it was Lyon who took the lead when Amel Majri’s free-kick drifted through a crowded penalty and found its way into the bottom corner. Lyon doubled their advantage minutes later when midfielder Catarina Macario’s superb header rounded off a wonderful counter-attack from the home side.
Levante did get one back a minute later when Irene Guerrero’s corner was nodded home by Argentine Aldana Cometti. Levante were unable to muster a late comeback, therefore Lyon enter the group stage and the competition’s most successful club will look to add an eighth Champions League title to their collection
Bordeaux (5) 3-3 (6) Wolfsburg
Just like the first leg, this game saw plenty of goals, and the visitors extended their slender aggregate advantage, when Ewa Pajor scored in the 25th minute, however goals from Katja Snoeijs and Melissa Gomes, levelled the tie for Bordeaux and ensured extra-time and penalties were needed to separate the sides. Ewa Pajor had her second of the night in extra-time, when she finished a lovely move, with a coolly taken effort from inside the area.
That goal was not to be decisive, as Bordeaux levelled in the 119th minute when Mickäella Cardia unleashed a ferocious curling effort from just outside the area and her wonderful shot found the top corner. Unfortunately for the hosts, they missed all three penalties, and Wolfsburg were clinical in the shootout scoring all three of their spot-kicks to book their place in the group stage.
Hoffenheim (6) 3-3 (3) FC Rosengård
Another game involving a German side saw another goal fest. Austrian Laura Wienroither gave the home side the lead, but they were pegged back when Jelena Čanković struck. The hosts would once again go ahead on the night when Sarai Linder netted in the 27th minute. Swedish international Mimmi Larsson equalised on the night in the 65th minute, but Hoffenheim retook the lead when Jule Brand, who has had an excellent start to the season scored only minutes later. The game ended 3-3 after Loreta Kullashi scored late on, but the first leg result proved too big of a task to overturn for FC Rosengård
Manchester City (1) 1-1 (2) Real Madrid
The scores were level going into the game, after a 1-1 draw in Madrid last week. Real Madrid were looking for their first appearance in the UWCL Group Stage and took the lead in the 44th minute through Claudia Zornoza. Man City struggled to deal with a corner and the ball fell to Zornoza, and her powerful effort from just inside the area managed to find its way into the back of the net, to give the Spanish side the lead. Real Madrid held firm and made history to be in the draw on Monday.
Other Results
Elsewhere Køge won 2-0 to give the Danish side a 3-0 aggregate win over Sparta Prague and Sweden’s Häcken beat Vålerenga of Norway 6-3 on aggregate after a 3-2 victory on the night.
Group Stage Draw
After the other five matches are played today, the draw for the group stage will take place on Monday 13th September.
