Women's Champions League round-up: Lyon, Barcelona into last eight as Brann and Benfica boost hopes
Thursday, December 21, 2023
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Lyon reached the quarter-finals despite Brann denying them victory, holders Barcelona also progressed while Benfica gained a key point at Frankfurt.
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Lyon and Barcelona are into the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-finals with two games to spare on a night when Brann came back from two down for a dramatic draw against OL and Benfica gained an equally important point at Eintracht Frankfurt.
UEFA.com rounds up all the action.
Click on any scoreline to look back at all the action as it happened and watch highlights from midnight CET.
Group A
Barcelona powered past Rosengård for the second week running as the holders booked their place in the last eight, ending the visitors' hopes of a quarter-final berth in the process. Keira Walsh and Caroline Graham Hansen set the hosts on their way, applying the finish to Aitana Bonmatí assists before the break.
Salma Paralluelo bagged a cool double in the space of six second-half minutes before Clàudia Pina and Marta Torrejón struck in quick succession. The reigning champions added a seventh late on, their 21st in four Group A matches, when Martina Fernández's glancing header deflected in off Jessica Wik.
A Nycole Raysla equaliser and last-gasp Lena Pauels penalty save kept Benfica second in Group A, three points ahead of Frankfurt and holding a head-to-head advantage over the four-time champions thanks to last week's 1-0 win in Lisbon. Frankfurt had seemed in a good position to wipe out that deficit on 28 minutes when Laura Freigang sent a cross-field pass to Géraldine Reuteler, whose shot took a slight defection and arrowed inside the far post.
However, Frankfurt missed a number of other chances and 19 minutes from time Kika Nazarath crossed for substitute Raysla to turn the ball in. Frankfurt had a penalty deep in added time when Lucia Alves brought down Carlotta Wamser but Benfica's German goalkeeper Pauels kept out Freigang's kick.
25 January: Rosengård vs Benfica, Barcelona vs Eintracht Frankfurt
Group B
Lyon clinched progress to the quarter-finals but Brann were celebrating in front of a sell-out crowd after Signe Gaupset's last-gasp equaliser made them the first team to avoid defeat by OL this season.
On a run of 23 consecutive competitive victories since their 1-0 loss at home to Chelsea in the first leg of last season's Champions League semi-finals, Lyon were 2-0 up on 13 minutes in Bergen as Amel Majri finished off a swift counterattack following a pass by Ellie Carpenter, then Ada Hegerberg got her 62nd European goal, converting a penalty when Marit Lund fouled Daniëlle van de Donk.
Since FC Lyon became Olympique Lyonnais in 2004, they had never failed to win after leading a game by two goals. But Justine Kielland's sweet strike dragged Brann back into it before the break and a straight red soon afterwards for Lindsay Horan carved the game wide open. Brann took a firm grip on proceedings and though Nora Eide Lie's long-range effort was tipped onto the bar by Christiane Endler, there was no stopping Signe Gaupset's last-gasp leveller. Lyon are still through but missed the chance to seal first place while Brann remain well-placed in second.
Slavia set up an effective decider against Brann as they ended the hopes of St. Pölten on a freezing night in Mladá Boleslav. Both teams had first-half chances but the breakthrough arrived in the 56th minute, Slavia getting their first goal in the group as Treza Krejčiříková was sent clear in the right channel and her fine low cross was fired into the roof of the net by Michaela Khýrová.
Slavia looked to push for a second but St. Pölten nearly levelled when Valentina Mädl, off the bench for her injury comeback, had a shot cleared off the line by Michelle Xiao. Olivie Lukášová in the Slavia goal also produced a tremendous double save in the final minutes.
25 January: Slavia Praha vs Brann, St. Pölten vs Lyon
