Potsdam open up commanding lead over Juvisy

UEFA Women's Champions League holders 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam are on the verge of another semi-final after striking three goals without reply at FCF Juvisy Essonne in the first leg of their last-eight tie.

The French side, playing their first European quarter-final, were two behind after 28 minutes as Bianca Schmidt and Fatmire Bajramaj scored for the visitors. Juvisy captain Sandrine Soubeyrand put through her own net in the second half, and it will now take a remarkable comeback for Potsdam to fall in the return next Wednesday and be denied an April tie with either German rivals FCR 2001 Duisburg or Everton.

Juvisy came close in just the third minute as Laëtitia Tonazzi was sent clear but had her shot blocked by Anna Felicitas Sarholz. Yet it did not take long for Potsdam to overrun the home side with their skill and athleticism, and in the eighth minute the unmarked Schmidt headed in Bajramaj's corner. Before the half-hour it was 2-0, Schmidt and Anja Mittag playing a quick one-two through a forest of Juvisy legs before the opening goalscorer sent Bajramaj clear to finish confidently.

Potsdam, who wrapped up a third straight German title on Sunday, now dominated possession while the efforts of Tonazzi and Gaëtane Thiney in the home attack came to nought. And worse was to come in the 64th minute as Soubeyrand deflected a crossed Schmidt free-kick into her own net, leaving Juvisy with it all to do at the Karl Liebknecht Stadion.

"We were expecting to experience a tough night and indeed we did, but I am really happy about what my players demonstrated on the pitch," Juvisy coach Sandrine Mathivet said. "They tried to do well and played simply. They never gave up and produced some good chances." Yuki Nagasato, the Potsdam striker, admitted: "This was not a pretty game, our opponents were in our face and it did not make it easy."