Verona and Stabæk hold their nerve

ASD CF Verona overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit to pip Birmingham City LFC to the UEFA Women's Champions League round of 16 but Brøndby IF had no such luck against Stabæk FK on a thrilling night.

There was comfortable progress for holders Olympique Lyonnais, 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam and both Swedish contenders, but Verona and Stabæk did not have it so easy while ASD Torres CF made it a good night for Italy, Fortuna Hjørring salvaged Danish pride and CFF Olimpia Cluj ensured Romanian joy. Six more ties end tomorrow with one more concluding next week.

Brøndby IF 3-3 Stabæk FK (agg: 3-5)
Two-time semi-finalists Brøndby were hoping to overturn a 2-0 loss but instead found their aggregate deficit doubled by their clinical Norwegian visitors within 27 minutes by Ada Hegerberg and Leni Larsen Kaurin. Nanna Christiansen pulled one back but Ingvild Stensland responded to leave the Danish side needing five goals to go through. Brøndby had seen plenty of the ball and pushed hard after the break but although Christiansen struck again and Lise Munk converted a penalty to level on the night, Stabæk are in the last 16 for the first time, where they will meet FCF Juvisy Essonne or FC Zürich Frauen.

ASD CF Verona 3-0 Birmingham City LFC (aet, agg: 3-2)
Another former semi-finalist, Verona, also began with a two-goal deficit but they progressed after a thrilling 120 minutes at the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi with Cristiana Girelli the hat-trick hero. She first delighted a big crowd when she converted a 37th-minute penalty following a foul on her by Emily Westwood. Birmingham pushed hard for an away goal in the second half, Jo Potter and Westwood both hitting the woodwork but with 11 minutes left Girelli forced extra time. Either side could have made it through but Girelli's 112th-minute free-kick ended Birmingham's debut campaign – though they should be back next season.

WFC Malmö 6-1 MTK Hungária FC (agg: 10-1)
Last year's quarter-finalists, who already know they will be back in 2013/14 as they compete for a third straight Swedish title, strolled through in soaking conditions to earn a tie with Verona. Christina Ørntoft's early free-kick got things going and although MTK showed ambition through Lilla Nagy, Katrine Veje soon claimed a second for the home team. Elin Rubensson and the very impressive Sofia Anker-Kofoed both scored twice but there was a late consolation for MTK with Fanni Vágó's penalty.

1. FFC Turbine Potsdam 5-0 Standard Fémina de Liège (agg: 8-1)
Potsdam had no problem setting up a likely tie with fellow former champions Arsenal LFC, who lead FC Barcelona 3-0 going into tomorrow's home leg. The 18-year-old Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia forward Nataša Andonova was the star just as in the first leg, going one better than last week with a hat-trick.

Olympique Lyonnais 5-0 PK-35 Vantaa (agg: 12-0)
Already 7-0 up, holders Lyon cruised through. Camille Abily and Amandine Henry scored in the first half with Sonia Bompastor, Amel Majri – outstanding on the left – and Louisa Necib confirming the Finnish champions' exit. Lyon will discover their next opposition tomorrow when FK Zorkiy Krasnogorsk welcome fellow debutants Stjarnan to Russia with the tie goalless.

Fortuna Hjørring 0-0 Glasgow City LFC (agg: 2-1)
Glasgow knew they needed two goals to reach the last 16 again and pushed their Danish hosts hard in the first half. They kept the pressure up after the break and Danica Dalziel's header forced a great save from 17-year-old Maria Christensen. The third-choice keeper, called in due to injury, had a great night and was the main reason that the 2003 runners-up were able to progress.

Göteborg FC 3-0 Spartak Subotica (agg: 4-0)
Göteborg only held a 1-0 lead at kick-off in the rain of Sweden tonight but by the 35-minute mark two close-range goals from Olivia Schough, her first in Europe, had ended the Serbian visitors' hopes. Christen Press added another in the second half after the ball was spilt by Spartak goalkeeper Ljiljana Gardijan. Fortuna now await Göteborg, who knocked them out 4-2 on aggregate in last season's round of 16.

NÖSV Neulengbach 2-2 CFF Olimpia Cluj (aet, agg: 3-3, Olimpia win on away goals)
Olimpia earned perhaps Romania's best result in this competition to knock out their experienced Austrian hosts. Neulengbach seemed to be on their way when dangerous winger Giovana put them ahead on the half-hour after a brilliant Nina Burger pass but when Christine Manie led a counterattack, Alexandra Lunca scored with nine minutes left to force extra time. When she struck again in the 101st minute, again on the break after beating the offside trap, it proved decisive as although Maria Gstöttner levelled the aggregate score and Neulengbach piled on the pressure, Olimpia progressed on away goals.

ASD Torres Calcio 3-1 Apollon Limassol LFC (agg: 6-3)
Olimpia's last-16 opposition will be Italy's Torres, who came from two down in Cyprus to win 3-2 a week ago and were grateful for that edge after a tight return. Silvia Fuselli extended the Torres advantage on 26 minutes after Sandy Maendly's pass caused confusion in the away defence but early in the second half Laura Rus rounded the home goalkeeper to give Apollon hope. It was not to be for the visitors, Sandy Iannella and Raffaella Manieri's penalty putting the tie beyond them, first-leg hat-trick hero Patrizia Panico fouled by Michelle Betos.

Remaining second legs:
Thursday
FC Rossiyanka 4-1 ADO Den Haag
Arsenal LFC 3-0 FC Barcelona
FK Zorkiy Krasnogorsk 0-0 Stjarnan
Røa Fotball Elite 4-0 BIIK Shymkent
VfL Wolfsburg 5-1 RTP Unia Racibórz
FCF Juvisy Essonne 1-1 FC Zürich Frauen

11 October
AC Sparta Praha 3-0 WFC SFK 2000 Sarajevo

Round of 16 draw:
Played 31 October/1 November & 7/8 November
Torres v Olimpia Cluj
Verona v Malmö
Fortuna v Göteborg
Unia/Wolfsburg v BIIK/Røa
Sarajevo/Sparta v Den Haag/Rossiyanka
Stjarnan/Zorkiy v Lyon
Barcelona/Arsenal v Potsdam
Stabæk v Zürich/Juvisy

Knockout calendar
Quarter-final & semi-final draw: 20 November
Quarter-finals: 20/21 & 27/28 March
Semi-finals: 13/14 & 20/21 April
Final (London venue tbc): 23 May