Yesterday, the first round of the quarter-finals of the UEFA Women's Champions League came to an end. The teams we favored before the match all achieved satisfactory scores in this round of matches. Let's review together the exciting moments and score situations of the first leg.
UEFA Women’s Champions League
1. Chelsea vs. Ajax
In this match, Chelsea achieved a perfect victory with a score of 3-0 against their opponents, thanks to the outstanding performance of Lauren James and Sjoeke Nüsken. This win has given them a significant advantage going into the second leg.
Not long after the start of the match, the girls from Ajax attempted to threaten Chelsea through quick counterattacks, with their long shots and counterattacks almost breaching the Chelsea defense. However, as Chelsea settled into the game, they began to organize efficient attacks.
In the 18th minute of the match, Reiten won possession through a frontcourt interception. Nüsken's pass ricocheted off an Ajax player and luckily found its way to James, who easily bypassed the goalkeeper and scored. The linesman raised the flag immediately, leading both the players on the field and those watching the live broadcast to believe it was offside. However, it wasn't until the referee was reminded by VAR that this beautiful goal was ultimately validated.
For the remaining time, Nüsken effortlessly scored two goals, and Ajax girls failed to organize effective counterattacks. After the match, Mjelde also recalled a memorable moment from last year's quarter-finals.
2. Benfica vs. Lyon
Compared to the other three matches, the match between Benfica and Lyon was particularly entertaining, with both teams having opportunities to settle the suspense of the game in both halves. The final score was a 2-1 victory for Lyon. The rematch between the two teams in the next round is highly anticipated.
At the beginning of the match, Benfica launched the first attack, threatening the opponent's goal with their shots.
At 42 minutes into the first half, Benfica's A. Faria capitalized on a back pass mistake from the Lyon team and scored a goal with a one-on-one opportunity. After this goal, Lyon's defense made several more mistakes, but Benfica ultimately couldn't capitalize on the opportunities to widen the scoreline.
In the second half, Lyon seemed to regain their attacking momentum as they started launching fierce assaults on Benfica's goal. However, Benfica's goalkeeper Lena Pauls managed to thwart several opportunities. It wasn't until the 63rd minute of the second half, from a chance created by a throw-in in the opponent's half, that Delphine Cascarino scored the equalizer.
The 8-time UEFA Champions League winners, Lyon, didn't ease their attacking pace; they continued with their attacking rhythm. They even managed to score a goal through a series of fantastic bicycles, but unfortunately, it was ruled offside.
In the 78th minute of the match, Lyon's German midfielder Sara Däbritz scored a header to take the lead. This scoreline remained until the end of the match.
3. BK Häcken vs. PSG
The score between Häcken and PSG didn't reflect a significant difference in absolute strength. However, PSG managed to win the match in the end thanks to the brilliance of their star players.
4. SK Brann vs. Barcelona
The defending champions Barcelona displayed their strong on-field control in this match, although it wasn't reflected in the scoreline. However, for them, the second leg match should not pose too much of a problem. Highlights of Barcelona's brilliant performance in the DAZN video below.
