Barcelona hold Paris as Frankfurt, Wolfsburg, Lyon win
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Article summary
FFC Frankfurt won 1-0 at Rosengård, Wolfsburg beat Brescia 3-0 and Lyon put nine past Slavia Praha, but the quarter-final first leg between Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain ended all-square.
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- Holders Frankfurt, Wolfsburg and Lyon all win quarter-final first legs
- Barcelona hold Paris in front of record crowd
- All second legs take place next Wednesday
- The results
- Tournament stats
Rosengård 0-1 FFC Frankfurt
Holders Frankfurt are in command after Dzsenifer Marozsán converted a 71st-minute penalty in Malmo following Lina Nilsson's handball. Newly-arrived Canada goalkeeper Erin McLeod's competition debut lasted just 13 minutes before injury forced her off. Fellow signing Sofia Lundgren came on, performing well in the first half to keep out Frankfurt.
Rosengård, also fielding winter signings Gaëlle Enganamouit, Katrin Schmidt, Lieke Martens and, from the bench, Ella Masar improved in the second period and had good chances before Marozsán's penalty. Jackie Groenen had earlier hit the post for Frankfurt, who are targeting a record eighth semi-final.
Barcelona 0-0 Paris Saint-Germain
In front of a club-record crowd of 8,369 at the Mini Estadi, Barcelona stood firm to hold last season's beaten finalists. Cristiane had the best chances for Paris but there was no way past a Barcelona side that warmed up in No23 shirts in honour of Leire Landa, who has suffered a serious knee injury.
Lyon 9-1 Slavia Praha
Lyon delighted a 11,732 crowd on their debut at the new Stade de Lyon as they gave first-time quarter-finalists Slavia a torrid time. It was 4-0 when Kateřina Svitková pulled one back for the visitors late in the first half but after the break Lyon kept up the pressure and Ada Hegerberg maintained her record of scoring two goals in all of her club's European ties this season, taking her competition-leading tally to ten.
Also striking twice were Griedge M'Bock Bathy, with her first goals in the UEFA Women's Champions League, and Camille Abily, becoming the 11th player to pass 30 in this competition. The fans were further rewarded by a post-match concert from singer Christophe Maé at the UEFA EURO 2016 venue.
Wolfsburg 3-0 Brescia
Wolfsburg are on course to make it four semi-finals from as many European entries and could have scored more against a club at this stage for the first time. Wolfsburg lost captain Nilla Fischer to injury in the warm-up but replacement Joelle Wedemayer slotted in well. Despite some dangerous Brescia counters, Wolfsburg made their pressure tell in the 32nd minute when Tessa Wullaert struck from distance.
Early in the second half Lara Dickenmann set up Alexandra Popp, who had spurned several chances, to finally get on the scoresheet and the third arrived when Caroline Graham Hansen pounced on a defensive slip. Camelia Ceasar performed heroics in the Brescia goal to keep the Italian side in the tie.
Road to the final:
Semi-finals (23/24 April & 30 April/1 May)
1 Lyon or Slavia v Barcelona or Paris
2 Wolfsburg or Brescia v Rosengård or Frankfurt
Final (26 May, Stadio Città del Tricolore, Reggio Emilia)
Winner Semi-final 2 v Winner Semi-final 1