Potsdam feat matched by Fortuna

Holders 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam began their UEFA Women's Champions League title defence with a 9-0 defeat of Åland United in the round of 32 on a day when ASD Bardolino Verona endured an unfortunate sense of deja vu.

Potsdam are struggling to find the net domestically by their own high standards, yet they had no such trouble in Finland as Anja Mittag struck a hat-trick against the European debutants. Things were a lot closer for Olympique Lyonnais, runners-up last term, as goals from Eugénie Le Sommer and Wendie Renard earned a 2-1 victory at AZ Alkmaar.

History is set to repeat itself after 2003 runners-up Fortuna Hjørring defeated former semi-finalists ASD Bardolino Verona, the team they eliminated at this stage last term, 8-0 at home thanks largely to five Cathrine Paaske-Sørensen goals. It was also a good day for Fortuna's domestic rivals Brøndby IF, the Danish side coming from behind to beat Poland's RTP Unia Racibórz 2-1. Linköpings FC strolled to a 7-0 victory at ŽNK Krka.

Arsenal LFC needed two late goals to see off ŽFK Mašinac 3-1, and there were also narrow wins for FC Rossiyanka, Røa IL, Torres and Zvezda-2005. Indeed, aside from Bardolino, Austrian club SV Neulengbach were the only other seed – all of whom were away in the first leg – to come unstuck as they lost 1-0 at FC PAOK.

Four more first legs are played on Thursday, including the visit of 2009 European champions FCR 2001 Duisburg to Kazakh debutants CSHVSM, while the remaining tie begins on 29 September with AC Sparta Praha's visit to K. Sint-Truidense VV.

The second legs are on 13 and 14 October and the round of 16 draw is already made.