Wolfsburg blossom, Malmö show strength

European debutants VfL Wolfsburg were inspired by two experienced Germany strikers as the last four UEFA Women's Champions League round of 32 first legs were played.

Martina Müller and substitute Conny Pohlers both scored twice in Wolfsburg's 5-1 win at RTP Unia Racibórz, while WFC Malmö swept aside MTK Hungária 4-0 courtesy of two goals apiece from Katrine Veje and Anja Mittag. FC Rossiyanka, who like Malmö, reached the quarter-finals last season, condemned ADO Den Haag to a 4-1 home defeat and AC Sparta Praha also won away.

Wednesday's 11 fixtures included away wins for Olympique Lyonnais, 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam and Arsenal LFC while the night before Inka Grings salvaged a 1-1 draw for FC Zürich Frauen at home to FCF Juvisy Essonne. The second legs begin next Wednesday. The round of 16 draw is already made.

RTP Unia Racibórz 1-5 VfL Wolfsburg
After a slow start, newcomers Wolfsburg secured an expected victory over their Polish hosts. Müller, making her European debut aged 32, broke the deadlock on 22 minutes with a back-heeled goal following an Alexandra Popp header. Virtually straight from the second-half kick-off Müller was sent clear and scored again, but Unia responded almost immediately via Chinasa's superb lob. Zsanett Jakabfi's header midway through the half made it 3-1, before the introduction of Pohlers who claimed Wolfsburg's fourth with her second touch. Pohlers, a competition winner with both 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam and 1. FFC Frankfurt, scored again seven minutes later to take her European tally to 36 goals in 31 appearances. Norway's Røa IL look likely to be Wolfsburg's round of 16 opponents provided neither lose comfortable leads at home next week.

MTK Hungária FC 0-4 WFC Malmö
Last season's quarter-finalists strolled to a commanding victory against MTK. Veje pounced as early as the third minute following indecision in the MTK defence, and the Danish international ran clear to double her tally in the second half. Mittag, despite a quiet night, beat Réka Szőcs twice in the last fifteen minutes to round off the scoring for the Swedish Champions, who were rarely troubled throughout. Mittag, a two-time UEFA Champions League winner with 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam, now sits on 38 European goals, level with Inka Grings and one shy of Hanna Ljungberg's UEFA women's club competition record. 

ADO Den Haag 1-4 FC Rossiyanka
The Russian champions made light work of their Dutch opponents in a game they dominated with bristling confidence. The match was just two minutes old when captain Natalia Shlyapina converted from the spot, before Tatiana Skotnikova doubled their advantage a minute before the break. The Russian international midfielder scored her second on 63 minutes and Shlyapina followed suit shortly after Renate Jansen had reduced Den Haag's defecit with a tidy finish. 

WFC SFK 2000 Sarajevo 0-3 AC Sparta Praha
The eventual winners of the tie between Rossiyanka and Den Haag look likely to play Sparta in the last 16 after their routine victory in Sarajevo. Sparta, aiming to progress beyond this round for the fourth season running, took 58 minutes to break the deadlock through Lucie Martínková, but were in control after Lucie Voňková scored ten minutes later. Martínková made it three late on against a Sarajevo side who had made it through the qualifying round for the first time in ten European entries. The second leg is played a week after the other fixtures on 11 October.