The first day of the Champions League offered some great displays and also allowed for a few surprises such as the defeat of FC Barcelona, the title holders upon entering the fray.
GROUP A
Tuesday October 8, 2024
LYON – GALATASARAY: 3-0 (2-0), at Décines-Charpieu (Groupama Stadium) – 3,650 spectators
Arbitre: Michalina Diakow (Pologne)
Buts : Kadidiatou Diani 34′, 77′, Vanessa Gilles 45′
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ROMA – WOLFSBURG: 1-0 (1-0), in Rome (Stadio Tre Fontane) – 1,345 spectators
Referee: Catarina Campos (Portugal)
But: Manuela Giugliano 14′ sp
AS Roma had a good performance at home by defeating VfL Wolfsburg. It was a hand from Wilms on a cross from Haavi which led to Giugliano’s opening from the penalty spot. His shot from the right deceived the goalkeeper who had started on the right side (1-0, 14′). More enterprising, the Romans however faltered in the finish to make the break against a feverish German defense. Wolfsburg would have a first real opportunity on a corner taken by Hegering who crashed onto the bar (52nd), then again by the defense who cut a corner at the near post which was barely repelled by the goalkeeper (60th). The bar once again saved AS Roma when Endemann unleashed a strike (68th). Failing to take cover more quickly, Wolfsburg tried but AS Roma held on to their victory.
GROUP B
Sjoeke Nüsken (photo Chelsea FC)
Tuesday October 8, 2024
CHELSEA – REAL MADRID: 3-2 (2-1), in London (Stamford Bridge) – 3,832 spectators
Referee: Ivana Martinčić (Croatia)
Buts: Sheila García 2′ csc, Guro Reiten 27′ sp, Mayra Ramírez 53′; Alba Redondo 39′, Linda Caicedo 83′
Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea won against Real Madrid for their entry into the competition. Two French women started the meeting with Baltimore for the locals in the left side position and Lakrar in the Madrid central hinge. From the start, Real were picked up cold with an overflow to the right from Rytting Kaneryd who hooked in his lane before delivering a cross for Nüsken’s head deflected by Sheila García who took her goalkeeper from behind (1-0, 2′ ). The ball then went from one goal to the other in an open encounter and finally the referee called a foul by Mendes on Nüsken in a kicking duel between the two players. Reiten took care of the penalty by opening his left foot well to place it flush with Misa’s post (2-0, 27′). Redondo had a great opportunity on a low shot stopped by Musovic (31st) but managed to finish eight minutes later. On an action where Athenea then Sheila saw their shots blocked, the ball came back to her in the middle, and she took control then shot from the right (2-1, 39′). Chelsea regained a two-step lead on a cross from James for Mayra Ramírez who won her duel with Lakrar to send the ball with a header falling under the goalkeeper’s bar, lobbed (3-1, 53′). But 30 minutes later, on a shot from the right by Eva Navarro deflected by the goalkeeper, Caicedo in two steps in the axis pushed the ball deep (3-2, 83′). Insufficient to come back, Sonia Bompastor could have a smile.
CELTIC – TWENTE: 0-2 (0-1), in Hamilton (New Douglas Park) – 2,784 spectators
Arbitre: Ewa Augustyn (Pologne)
Buts : Kayleigh van Dooren 44′, 85′
On the synthetic pitch in Hamilton, the Dutch from Twente, more accustomed to European games, scored at key moments to defeat the Scottish champion. van Dooren opened the scoring just before the break on a long ball from Carleer from his side to find his partner in the middle who controlled from the right just at the entrance to the area and followed up with a lofted ball on the goalkeeper (0- 1.44′). Logical advantage at the break, even if Celtic from a corner were close in a confused action to equalize (45+1′). With a double from van Dooren served by Vliek, she ensured success by sending a shot from the right under the bar (0-2, 85′).
GROUP C
Juventus preserved their advantage (photo Juventus FC)
Wednesday October 9, 2024
BAYERN MUNICH – ARSENAL: 5-2 (1-1), in Munich (FC Bayern Campus) – 2,500 spectators
Referee: Lina Lehtovaara (Finland)
Butts: Glódís Viggósdóttir 43′, Sydney Lohmann 56′, Pernille Harder 73′, 78′, 86′; Mariona Caldentey 30′, Laia Codina 65′
In this shock of group C, it was the Londoners who opened the scoring with a good cross from McCabe for the recovery in the axis of Mariona (0-1, 30′). Bayern recovered before the break. A minute after a clear opportunity from Gwinn, it was a long ball from Stanway from the right which found the head of Viggósdóttir in a duel with Blackstenius at 5.5m on the opposite side. The ball found its way into Zinsberger’s left net (1-1, 43′). Just before the hour mark, Bühl in the center shifted to his right for Lohmann who placed a tight shot from the right (2-1, 56′). The Canonnières did not stop there by equalizing on a McCabe corner taken at the far post by Laia Codina with a header (2-2, 65′). That’s when the Pernille Harder festival began. Little in sight until now, she struck a first time with a header on a corner from Simon, standing out in the middle 9 m away (3-2, 73′). Five minutes later, she doubled the lead with a header by taking a cross from Bühl (3rd assist of the day!) in front of the goalkeeper (4-2, 78′). She finished the job just before going out by cutting in a cross from Gwinn to beat the goalkeeper in two stages (5-2, 86′). His 38th European goal in 50 matches.
VALERENGA – JUVENTUS : 0-1 (0-1), in Oslo (Vålerenga Stadion) – 1,923 spectators
Referee: Sandra Braz Bastos (Portugal)
But: Sofia Cantore 29′
Faller of PSG in the previous round thanks in particular to Sofia Cantore, it was again she who shone in Norway. Taking advantage of a breakthrough from Beccari in the area. She inherited the ball on the left side and curled a shot from the right which found its way into the opposite net (0-1, 29′). Vålerenga failed in his quest for an equalizer just before the break (43rd). Peyraud-Magnin was going to be decisive in the second half, repelling a 20m attempt from Saevik (55th) then helped by his defense but also the opponent’s clumsiness. A good operation for Juventus in a group where they will have to challenge Bayern and Arsenal.
GROUP D
City s’offre le FC Barcelone (photo UEFA.com)
Wednesday October 9, 2024
MANCHESTER CITY – BARCELONA: 2-0 (1-0), in Manchester (Manchester City Academy Stadium – Joie Stadium) – 5,508 spectators
Referee: Stéphanie Frappart (France)
Buts : Naomi Layzell 36′, Khadija Shaw 77′
While FC Barcelona had started their meeting and created a first action by Graham Hansen who finished on the post (4th). As the minutes passed, the Citizens’ offensives posed problems for the Barcelona defense. A clumsiness from the English could have cost the opener with a back pass towards the goalkeeper intercepted by Pajor who was hitting on goal and Aleixandri was going to save just in front of the line (19th). City had a great opportunity through Park who took over from close range against Coll, author of a decisive save (35th). But on the next corner played long by Fowler the ball arrived beyond the far post, lobbing Coll out, Miedema headed again for Layzell who threw himself to tackle the ball right into the goal (1-0, 36′). Aitana tried to get her team back on track (59th) but came up against Yamashita. City’s defense resisted all the attacks from the title holder also helped by the bar (73rd). Shaw on the counter, well launched in the axis by Layzell, resisted the return of two defenders, eliminated the goalkeeper then cleverly slipped a crushed cross shot which alerted die in the small opposite net (2-0, 77′). City, which did not spare Paris FC in the play-offs, has confirmed its status and will be one to watch in this event this season.
HAMMARBY – ST.PÖLTEN: 2-0 (1-0), in Stockholm (Tele2 Arena) – 7,562 spectators
Referee: Shona Shukrula (France)
Buts : Vilde Hasund 18′, Alice Tandberg 88′
In front of their crowd who came in large numbers (best attendance of the 1st day), the Swedes took the lead with a nice three-way combination with Joramo to find Wangerheim at the entrance to the area who put it back on Hasund who placed a strike from left of 20 m flush with the upright (1-0, 18′). Wangerheim came up against the goalkeeper well out (28th) but Hammarby continued his pressure. In the second half, the Austrians showed another more offensive face but too messy. Vallotto had the ball 2-0 but the goalkeeper with a firm hand avoided the goal (77th) saved on the line. It was finally Tandberg well served on the right in the area by Miyagama who scored with a right shot from 7 m (2-0, 88′).
