As Women’s Champions League holders Barcelona surged into the quarter-finals with a 5-0 thrashing of Hoffenheim on Wednesday, captain Alexia Putellas netted a penalty to spark the rout, while Lyon missed out on a chance to advance with two games to spare after losing to Bayern Munich.
Putellas, the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year and a major contender for the Ballon d’Or, scored the game’s first goal from the penalty spot just before halftime in Germany.
In the second half, Irene Paredes, Aitana Bonmati, Marta Torrejon, and Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic all scored to give Barcelona their fourth win in four games in Group C.
“I think we did a really good job,” said Barcelona coach Jonathan Giraldez.
“We created many chances and found the spaces inside. I think we didn’t have the best clinical chances, but the overall performance from the whole team was amazing. We are really happy to have qualified for the next round.”
Arsenal remains on course to advance from the same section after defeating Danish champions Koge 3-0.
Caitilin Foord gave Arsenal a first-half lead with Lotte Wubben-Moy and Vivianne Miedema grabbing late goals for the hosts at Meadow Park.
Record seven-time winners Lyon must wait to seal a place in the knockout phase following a 1-0 loss at Bayern.
Japan international Saki Kumagai headed in the winner midway through the second half to move Bayern to within two points of Group D leaders Lyon.
“I’m sad but proud of the team. It was a very difficult match, we fought a lot and had a lot of chances, right up until the last second, but we weren’t able to take them,” Lyon captain and goalkeeper Christiane Endler told DAZN.
“It’s our first defeat of the season at the end of a very hard week with three big games, but that’s not an excuse because Bayern has had the same schedule as us.”
After scoring their first goals in the group stage in a 2-1 win away to Swedish club Hacken, Benfica is on the hunt for a place in the last eight.
AFP
