Qualifiers through to join big names

UEFA Women's Cup holders 1. FFC Frankfurt and the six other teams given byes to the second qualifying round now know their opponents for the mini-tournaments from 9-14 October as they seek to hit peak domestic form in time for the races for knockout berths.

Holders
The top two teams from each pool will go into the last eight, for which the draw is already set, and in Group B1 Frankfurt will take on three winners from the first qualifying round which finished on Tuesday: Norwegian hosts Røa IL, Russian debutants Zvezda-2005 and Scottish surprise package Glasgow City FC. The trio will have to be at their best, as Frankfurt kicked off their domestic campaign with a 5-0 win at SC 07 Bad Neuenahr last weekend.

Umeå hope
Umeå IK, runners-up last year and bidding to match Frankfurt's tally of three UEFA Women's Cups, will stage Group B2 against ASD CF Bardolino Verona and first qualifying round victors Valur Reykjavík and Alma KTZH of Kazakhstan. It has not been the easiest of Damallsvenskan defences for Umeå in Sweden's summer season though a 4-1 win at leaders Linköpings FC last Wednesday aided their cause and they are four points off top spot with a game in hand. Bardolino, who beat Alma 5-1 on their way to the semi-finals on their European debut last term, are yet to start their Serie A title defence.

Arsenal bid
Group B3, for which Swiss newcomers FC Zürich Frauen and Austria's SV Neulengbach, have qualified, also contains Arsenal LFC and the team that knocked out the holders in last season's quarter-finals, Olympique Lyonnais. Arsenal defeated Neulengbach 7-0 at this stage a year ago and have made a typically impressive start in England, beating Everton LFC 1-0 to lift the FA Women's Community Shield and winning their first four league games with a total of 29 goals. Lyon, who will host the group, have a 100 per cent record in France after three matches.

Newcomers
Competition regulars Brøndby IF and European debutants FCR 2001 Duisburg were given byes into Group B4, where they are joined by Levante UD and Ukrainian newcomers WFC Naftokhimik, who will stage the mini-tournament. In Denmark, Brøndby have dropped just two points in five league games, an opening 1-1 draw with Velje BK, and have 29 goals to their name. Duisburg, entered as German runners-up due to Frankfurt's status as holders, came close to snatching the Bundesliga title last season and started the 2008/09 campaign by beating promoted HSV Borussia Friedenstal 3-1. Should Duisburg finish second in the group and Frankfurt win theirs, or vice versa, the two German sides would play in the quarter-finals.