Barca cruise into Women's CL last eight with Paralluelo double

Barca kept their 100 percent record after four rounds as English midfielder Keira Walsh and Norwegian attacker Caroline Hansen joined Paralluelo on the scoresheet. Spain's Claudia Pina and Marta Torrejon, as well as a Jessica Wik own goal, completed the rout inside the final 20 minutes, which also sent Swedish side Rosengrad out of the competition.

In the other Group A game, Eintracht Frankfurt's Laura Freigang missed a 90th-minute penalty as the German outfit drew 1-1 with Benfica, keeping both sides' chances of reaching the knock-out stages alive. Barca, champions in 2021, led 2-0 at the break as Walsh and Hansen scored. Their place in the last eight was secured with 20-year-old Paralluelo's two strikes before the hour mark and late efforts from Pina and Torrejon as well as Wik beating her own goalkeeper.

Elsewhere, Lyon claimed a spot in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals despite drawing 2-2 with Norwegian side Brann. French midfielder Amel Majri and Norwegian attacker Aga Hegerberg, with a penalty, had put the record eight-time winners 2-0 up after just 13 minutes. Justine Kielland cut the deficit for the home side 10 minutes before the break in snowy Bergen.

Lyon played most of the second half a player down as American Lindsey Horan was shown a red card before Brann claimed a dramatic equaliser in stoppage time. Defender Marit Lund delivered a corner before Lyon goalkeeper Christiane Endler fumbled and 18-year-old Brann midfielder Signe Gaupset volleyed home the crucial goal.

"I'm disappointed for the players," Lyon coach Sonia Bompastor said. "I would have liked them to be rewarded with a better result. We will wait to be sure of top spot and we will have to win one of the two remaining matches," she added.

Brann are second in the table, with a six-point advantage over the other two teams in Group B, Slavia Prague and St Poelten. Their game was postponed after 14 people were killed in a shooting in the Czech capital earlier in the day. On Wednesday, Australia's Sam Kerr netted in Chelsea's 3-1 win at Swedish club Hacken, while Real Madrid's hopes of reaching the quarter-finals were ended in a 1-0 home loss to Paris FC.

 

December 21, 2023