Duisburg win thriller as Everton impress

The UEFA Women's Champions League round of 16 first leg between FCR 2001 Duisburg and Fortuna Hjørring lived up to expectations as the German side had to work hard to earn a lead, in contrast to the comfortable victory for compatriots and holders 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam while Everton were Wednesday's only away winners. The other three first legs are on Thursday; UEFA.com has full reaction from tonight.

FCR 2001 Duisburg 4-2 Fortuna Hjørring
The Danish champions, UEFA Women's Cup finalists in 2003, took an early lead when Janni Jensen converted Julie Rydahl Bukh's corner but the game turned in the last minutes of the first half when Turid Knaak equalised with a solo effort and Luisa Wensing out Duisburg 2-1 up. Kristine Petersen equalised on 54 minutes but Inka Grings immediately restored the 2009 champions' lead and substitute Mandy Islacker added a fourth late on to ensure a cushion for next Wednesday's return.

Brøndby IF 1-4 Everton
Everton are in position to reach their first quarter-final next Thursday after a fine second-half comeback. They trailed to Camille Kur Larsen's third-minute strike after Lene Jensen's fine pass but Fara Williams equalised from the penalty spot not long before the hour following Signe Priess Andersen's handball. On 79 minutes Toni Duggan put Everton in front and Brooke Chaplen swiftly added two more, the first a solo effort, to leave two-time semi-finalists Brøndby in peril.

1. FFC Turbine Potsdam 7-0 SV Neulengbach
Potsdam eased to victory against the Austrian contenders. Nadine Kessler and Anja Mittag gave Potsdam a 2-0 lead at the break and Jennifer Zietz, Viola Odebrecht and substitute Yuki Nagasato added three more in an eight-minute second-half spell. Mittag and Zietz further increased the scoreline while Neulengbach's Alexandra Bíróová was sent off late on by Claudine Brohetin in her last game as a referee.

Røa IL 1-1 Zvezda-2005
Last season these teams drew 0-0 in Norway and 1-1 in Russia at this stage for Røa to go through on away goals but this time Zvezda claimed one in the fourth minute of added time. The visitors dominated the first half, going closest when Olesya Kurochkina pounced on a defensive error and shot just past the post. The second period was quiet until Elise Hove Thorsnes struck from the edge of the box in the 87th minute. However, Zvezda – who lost to Duisburg in the 2009 final – levelled with an even more impressive goal from distance by defender Olena Khodyreva.

Linköpings FC 2-0 Sparta Praha
Having had Swedish international Josefine Öqvist ruled out by illness before the game, recently deposed Swedish champions Linköping needed 55 minutes to break through against Sparta through captain Charlotte Rohlin. With nine minutes left, 18-year-old Jessika Samuelsson turned in Linda Sällström's cross to ensure Linköping are favourites to go one step further than on their debut last year when they visit Prague next Wednesday.

Reporters: Ernst Bouwes, Rasmus Munch, Marc Uhlmann, Sergey Vorobyov, Andreas Dahlmann