Odebrecht's warning to Wolfsburg

VfL Wolfsburg travel to Norway for the deciding leg of their UEFA Women's Champions League round of 16 tie with Røa IL holding a healthy 4-1 lead yet remain wary of the Toppserien side, midfielder Viola Odebrecht warning they should take nothing for granted.

"We are hoping to keep a clean sheet in Norway and we have to create, and take, chances," said Odebrecht. "But we also know about their goal threat from the first leg and we have to beware of the long balls they play over the top of our defence."

It was Røa who struck first in the 1 November first leg at the VfL-Stadion through Emilie Haavi's spectacular effort but the visitors' advantage was overturned before the interval by an unfortunate own goal from Gunhild Herregården and a clinical finish by Zsanett Jakabfi.

The home side passed up a flurry of chances in the second period and it took late goals from Alexandra Popp and Conny Pohlers to confirm their superiority. If Odebrecht's words betrayed some anxiety about Wolfsburg's slackness in front of goal, that concern ought to have eased after their 7-0 Frauen Bundesliga victory against Bayer 04 Leverkusen on Sunday.

Wolfsburg have yet to concede in their domestic league and even had the luxury of resting prolific forward Pohlers, whose replacement Martina Müller grabbed a hat-trick.

Pohlers' goal in the first leg was her fifth in three European outings this term and drew her level with Malmö's Anja Mittag and retired Sweden forward Hanna Ljungberg on a record 39 goals in UEFA women's competition. With that level of experience it is perhaps little surprise she played down Wolfsburg's advantage as they head to the Nedre Eiker Stadium in Mjondalen.

"We will start the game in Norway with the score back to 0-0," she said. "With a little bit of luck perhaps we can go further in the tournament. But at the moment we will take things one game at a time."

Her team-mate Odebrecht was more bullish about their prospects on Wednesday, however, and is already looking towards the quarter-finals and beyond. "We are the better team." she said. "My ambition is to go all the way in this tournament and be in the final in London."

Røa returned to domestic action on Sunday with a 1-0 win at Trondheims-Ørn and lie third in Norway's top division yet Haavi, their first-leg scorer, knows it will be difficult to turn things round. "It is going to be very tough to come back from 4-1 down in Norway but we are going to try our best," she said.