Hopefuls eye quarter-finals

The second qualifying round of the 2004/05 UEFA Women's Cup gets under way on Tuesday, with 16 teams hoping to advance to the knockout stages.

Automatic qualifiers
The nine group winners from the first qualifying round have been joined in this stage by Arsenal LFC, Djurgårdens/Älvsjö, Torres Terra Sarda and 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam. The top two clubs from the four groups will qualify for the quarter-finals, to be played in October and November.

Holders Umeå
The holders Umeå IK begin against ŽNK Krka Novo Mesto of Slovenia in Group B1, while Serbia and Montenegro's ZFK Mašinac-Classic Niš tackle the Belarussian champions FC Bobruichanka. Although Bobruichanka and Niš won all their games in the previous round, Novo Mesto had to beat KR Reykjavík in their last game, and did so 2-1.

Tough opposition
Spanish challengers Athletic Club and AE Aegina of Greece will have to play at their peak to finish ahead of Arsenal, semi-finalists in 2002/03, and a Djurgårdens/Älvsjö side who eclipsed Umeå in the Damallsvenskan in Group B2. Potsdam, the German champions, and Torres Terra Sarda of Italy will provide tough opposition for Polish side AZS Wroclaw and Montpellier HSC of France in Group B3.

Huge shock
Alma KTZH caused the biggest shock by becoming the first team from UEFA's newest member state, Kazakhstan, to win a mini-tournament in any European competition when finishing top of
Group A1. Alma feature in Group B4 alongside SK Trondheims-Ørn, Brøndby IF and FC Energy Vorozneh. The Russian side advanced with a goal difference of plus 27 having won 13-0, 11-0 and 3-0.