Mittag equals best on night of close ties

Anja Mittag wrote a little bit of UEFA Women's Champions League history for WFC Malmö on a night of round of 16 first legs that went well for Swedish and French clubs and also produced a Patrizia Panico-inspired win for ASD Torres CF. UEFA.com rounds up the action, with the three other first legs to come on Thursday.

WFC Malmö 1-0 ASD CF Verona
Mittag's second-minute strike not only sealed victory for Malmö but was her 39th goal in UEFA women's club competition, equalling Hanna Ljungberg’s long-standing record. Ramona Bachmann set up the Germany forward for the goal as the home side controlled the opening part of the match, allowing their Italian visitors few chances.

Verona's Martina Battocchio and Cristiana Girelli then started to put Malmö under pressure and on 38 minutes the former found herself through with only Thóra Helgadóttir to beat, but the goalkeeper stood firm.

The away side continued to press after the break yet Malmö held on as they prepare for a vital week in which they welcome Tyresö FF on Saturday, needing a point in the Damallsvenskan decider, and then travel to Italy for the return leg in seven days' time.

Fortuna Hjørring 1-1 Göteborg FC
Fortuna were the better team in the first half and Tiffany Weimer had a good effort deflected off the crossbar. The Danish side finally went ahead on 65 minutes when Nadia Nadim struck from close range after Kamilla Kur Larsen had rattled the woodwork. Shortly afterwards, though, Göteborg levelled when a superb Yael Averbuch free-kick beat 17-year-old goalkeeper Maria Christensen, in for injured Heidi Johansen. While Fortuna will be grateful not to have lost the home first leg – like they did to Göteborg at the same stage last year – they still have a lot to do next Wednesday to avoid a second straight exit to the Swedish club.

FK Zorkiy Krasnogorsk 0-9 Olympique Lyonnais
The holders are all but through after effectively ending the Russian debutants' campaign. The freezing conditions certainly did not hamper the visitors from France, who were 3-0 up at half-time following Camille Abily's opener and a double from Louisa Necib. The floodgates opened in the second period as the excellent Necib completed her hat-trick. Strikes from Laëtitia Tonazzi, Ami Otaki, an own goal from Anastasia Kostyukova and two from Amandine Henry, including a penalty, completed the rout.

Stabæk FK 0-0 FCF Juvisy Essonne
On a cold and rainy evening in Baerum, Norway, there were plenty of chances but neither team was able to break the deadlock, Juvisy dominating the first half and Stabæk getting more of the play in the second. Thursday's return in France is certainly finely poised as Juvisy aim for their second quarter-final in three years, with Stabæk already at their furthest stage in Europe.

ASD Torres CF 4-1 CFF Olimpia Cluj
Olimpia are the first Romanian side to get this far yet have a tough task at Cluj Arena next Thursday after Patrizia Panico's second European hat-trick this season. The 37-year-old set up Giulia Domenichetti for the opener before scoring herself, getting enough of a touch on Sandy Ianella's cross to encourage the ball over the line. A foul by Nikki Matarazzo on Ştefania Vătafu early in the second half gave the visitors a route back into the contest. Although Vătafu's penalty was saved, she slotted in the rebound.

However, Panico settled the Sardinian team's nerves with a third goal in the 73rd minute, dispatching a pass from Domenichetti in a role reversal of the first, and having managed a round of 32 first-leg hat-trick at Apollon Limassol LFC, the Italy forward completed another in style. Raffaella Manieri made good use of the headwind to lift the ball over the top and Panico controlled with her first touch before lifting it over Mirela Ganea in the Olimpia goal with five minutes left.

Thursday first legs
Arsenal LFC (ENG) v 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam (GER)
VfL Wolfsburg (GER) v Røa IL (NOR)
AC Sparta Praha (CZE) v FC Rossiyanka (RUS)